Keeper of the Keys
by Silver Thunder
Summary: A Trowa and Quatre AU that I dreamed up. Prophecy doesn't lie, it just never tells the whole truth. The interpretation is up to you...
1. Prologue

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Keeper of the Keys

(series one of _Defending Our Light_)

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. If I did, there would be a few things different about it… Ah, let's just say you'd know. Besides, why the heck would I write fanfiction if I owned the show? I could be creating new episodes and making money for it. So back off.

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This is an AU fic. It's set in a different world than the GW boys actually live in. Don't expect to see any Gundams, I'm just borrowing the characters, not the storyline. Some of this is set in a strange world that I created myself and some of it is set in a 'normal' world, like our own. Anyway, enjoy.

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Pairings:

3x4   
1x2 (later on)

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****

Prologue

It was close to mid-afternoon. The dark-haired warrior glanced briefly up at the position of the sun. "He's late," the young man announced shortly.

"The time frame he gave us," his companion answered, almost coldly, "was an approximation. For all we know, he could be another week in getting here. Consider what he's doing. Time is unimportant as long as he succeeds."

There was a moment of silence, then the dark eyes of the warrior closed as he nodded assent. "My apologies, Heero. You are right, of course."

"Time is something we have enough of," Heero remarked. "I can understand your impatience, though. Delays often mean failure. Keep in mind that this is quite a bit different from your average battle, Wufei."

Silence fell again over their small clearing. The young warrior with the name Wufei remained standing, leaning against the tree behind him in a casual-seeming pose. His tanned companion was seated on the ground near him, blue eyes open and alert. His posture, too, was relaxed. To any passing by, the two seemed to be resting, taking a brief rest during a long journey on foot. Wufei's eyes were barely slitted, but it was enough to spot danger should it happen to find them. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that conversation was unneccessary given the situation.

A shrill sound, like a scream or a train whistle, cut through the comfortable silence. Something thrashed in the bushes nearby, and the shrieking intensified, almost sounding as if it were coming from a creature being tortured.

Wufei straightened slightly. "He's reasonably close to when he said he'd be here," the young warrior commented mildly. "That's not _too_ bad, I suppose."

Heero just grunted.

The shrill noise seemed to hit a sort of climax then: just as it was about to reach its peak, the sound abruptly died. Whatever had been thrashing about in the bushes also seemed to have disappeared. Once again, silence fell over the clearing.

From the direction of the screaming, another young man stepped into the contained area. "I'm a bit late," he said tonelessly. "Sorry."

Heero shrugged, eyes shifting to study this new arrival. "Did you get it?"

"Of course." The newcomer held his hand out, palm up. Resting across it was a small, ornately carved golden key. "Simple enough to obtain." He shrugged. "_They_ were guarding it. Carelessness."

"What now?" Wufei asked, watching the newcomer's face. "You're not the Seeker."

Dark green eyes focussed on him. "I know where to find the person who is." Again he shrugged. "That's what I'll do."

"There's a passage just a short ways from here, which I'm sure you know about already," Heero stated impassively. "No time should pass here between the moment you enter and the moment you come back out."

"Good. The two of you shouldn't be in any danger." A brief, humourless smile flickered on the young man's lips. "_They_ won't come back soon after I take care of the first few. And you can handle any mortal enemies on your own."

"Caution, Trowa," Heero warned. "The Seeker is as much a target as any of us. They'll know that location. And they'll be watching for you."

Trowa glanced toward the trees, where a faint howling seemed to be picking up. "Not yet..." he murmured, almost to himself, then, "There won't be a problem, providing this Seeker is as strong as your prophecy says. We have the first key. The rest won't be difficult to obtain."

Heero stared at him, unblinking, for a moment. "Over-confidence is a weakness."

"So is doubt."

Wufei interrupted them by standing away from the tree. "I think they're coming," he remarked, glancing at the surrounding forest. The howling was starting to get louder.

Trowa turned his face to the trees again, expressionless. A flash of silver passed over his eyes, like a reflection or just a shimmer of light – as if he were looking directly into something that shone.

And the shrill sound began again…

~~~~~~

#### The Three

The Seeker with a head of spun gold
Eyes like the sea, shifting blue to green
Competence and bravery, hand in hand – 
Weakness in the failure to see
Sacrifice – darkness.
Contrast in bright eyes
But a hardening of spirit, resigned to fate
Beneath strength, there is weakness in uncertainty.
The Darksbane, soul of mystery
Hair of the earth's shade and eyes containing death
Self-sufficient and needing no being's aide
Yet unable to comprehend emotion.

#### Prophecy

Seven keys lie dormant, waiting
Find the Seeker, find the keys.

__

Gold at the stone on the mountain high;
Find ice when darkness blocks the sky;
Rowan from the dangers among the trees;
Emerald in the dive to the lake from the seas;
Diamond in the fragments of the beast;
Silver from the fury at the feast;
Amber already holds your soul;
Use it now to accomplish your goal
Find the Gateway
On one side, death;
On the other, unending life.
The keys will lock it evermore.
Sacrifice on the side of death
Meaning life.
Seeker staying as ever on the same side,
Of light, and goodness.
Darksbane, choose.
Light or darkness,
Life or death,
Which suits you best?
Love or hate.

~~~~~~

End prologue.

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	2. The Note

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Keeper of the Keys

The Note

I was writing out the English homework for our one-week break when the folded slip of paper dropped onto my textbook. Just like that.

It wasn't like a grade school type thing, where kids would whisper and giggle and slip notes to each other in order to get around their teacher's no-talking rules. All I know is, one minute I was dutifully copying out my homework like a good third-year college student, and the next… A note dropped onto my book.

And no one in the room had even come anywhere near me.

I put down my pen and looked at the folded paper. On the front, printed in plain blue ink, was my name: Quatre Rebarba Winner.

Interesting…

Class was starting to break up. People were restless around that time, since for most of us, English was the last class of the day and our break started right after it ended. Evening classes tended to be like that.

Almost on instinct, I snatched up the note and tucked it into my pocket, hastily scratching out the rest of the homework instructions and packing away my books.

__

Now, let's take a look at this…Pushing through the crowd, I made my way to the outdoors, where there was more room for me to read what might be some sort of private note.

I wound up being disappointed.

"What the…?" I didn't manage to attract any funny stares – too many people doing too many different things for anyone to notice – but I must've looked fairly stupid, staring at a piece of note paper in complete confusion. The thing was only one line in length, and it read 'Gold at the stone on the mountain high'. That was it.

Now what the heck did _that_ mean?

"Quatre!" I nearly jumped fifty feet into the air as a hand clamped down around my shoulders. My assailant laughed. "Sorry for scaring you, kid. I was just waiting for you to get out of class."

I turned and managed to smile back at the pair of amused violet eyes staring back at me. "It's no big deal. I was just reading this note that someone – "

My best friend snatched the paper from my fingers, raising an eyebrow. "Passing notes in class? That's so… grade school." He shrugged, then handed the note back to me. "Sounds like some kind of riddle, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" I frowned. "I wish I knew who it was from."

"You think it's somebody's idea of a joke?" He tossed his long braid back over his shoulder carelessly. "Like a treasure hunt? They did mention gold…"

"I'm the last person who'd need gold," I said flatly, tucking the note back into my pocket. "If someone's trying to send me on a wild goose chase, they chose the wrong thing to tempt me with."

"Oh right, I forgot." He grinned at me. "Mama and Papa left you a fortune, right? You've got more ready cash than you know what to do with." Despite the casual words, there was still the slightest hint of bitterness in my friend's voice. The difference in our situations made it amazing that I could even be allowed to call him 'friend'.

To put it bluntly, I was rich. _Filthy_ rich. My parents weren't around any more, and though I had sisters, the money was basically mine. It was almost disgusting, even to me, that one person should have so much. I didn't want it – but I used it. Once I was through college, I fully intended to get myself a decent job and then donate everything I didn't _need_ to charity. Until then, it paid my tuition fees but otherwise just sat there.

My good friend Duo Maxwell, however, wasn't given the same privileged situation I'd had. Orphaned as a child and stuffed into the care of one relative after another, Duo had literally earned everything he owned with persistance and hard work. He took up several forms of martial arts and worked his way up to instructing in order to earn money for college. He spent hours on schoolwork and studying to get scholarships and awards that would give him a place in a more privileged society. And even through all that suffering and hard work, he kept up a smile and a friendly attitude.

I always felt very lucky to have him consider me a friend.

"Maybe I should try and find that gold," Duo remarked cheerfully, leading me off to whatever kind of activity he'd had planned for the evening. "Then maybe I could pay my rent on time for once."

~~~~~~

There wasn't much of a moon that night. I frowned, staring blankly out the window of one of Duo's friend's cars. Just another night of loud music, dancing, and socializing. That was usually what went on whenever I let Duo talk me into an evening out. No one in the car was drunk, blessedly – my friend had strong opinions about people who drank more than they had to. I had two slips of paper with the phone numbers of girls I'd never seen before and would never see again stuffed into my pocket. Not that it had been my idea to take them. I was too preoccupied with my mystery note to even care about the evening, though.

"Is there something on your mind, Quatre?" the girl next to me asked sweetly – almost as if she knew a secret I didn't. She smiled at me and tossed pale blond hair over her shoulders. "You didn't seem to be having fun."

I shrugged, politely returning the smile. Something about her… She gave me the creeps. "I'm just thinking, that's all," – What was her name? Something like Darlene… Doris… "Dorothy."

"Of course." So I _had_ gotten her name right. That was a relief. "Aren't we all, though?"

I gave her a curious glance, but didn't get the chance to ask what she meant, because the car came to a stop – right in front of my dorm building. "First stop!" the girl at the wheel announced cheerfully. "This is where you get out, Duo – no more harassing the driver!"

"Sorry kid. You make it too easy." He hopped out of the front seat, then turned back with a good-natured wave. "Thanks for the ride, Hilde. Drive safe!"

"No problem, now that I've gotten rid of you." She returned the wave and pulled away from the parking lot, off to drop more mutual friends at wherever they were staying.

"Well, that just crushed me," Duo said with a grin and a shrug. "Come on, Quatre, let's get inside."

"Yeah." I tried to force my mind back to the present. "So, is Hilde still seeing that basketball player?"

"Unless something changed drastically in just five minutes." Duo shrugged. "Remember when they were trying to sneak away from that club to go off alone to that cave up on – " He stopped.

"On…?" I prompted, but he wasn't listening to me. A slow grin spread over his face. "What?"

"Nothin'." He managed an innocent look. "Just figured out that note you got, that's all."

"What!?" I stopped in my tracks.

"Yup." He kept walking along nonchalantly, like it meant nothing even though I _knew_ he was proud of himself for figuring it out. "Remember that cave on Torian Peak? Well, right above it, _creating_ the cave, is a huge boulder. A giant _stone_, on a mountain high. And wouldn't that be a great place to hide some gold?"

"But the cave doesn't even go back into the mountain very far," I reminded him, though I could feel my heart start to pound at his words. It could be the right answer… It really did make sense…

"Yeah, so? There's plenty of dark places to hide things in. And who would suspect?" He grinned. "Maybe you and I should take a hike up there tomorrow, you think?"

I turned my gaze to the hill in question as Duo strolled ahead of me into the building. "Right," I answered softly, mind racing. "Tomorrow. Sure."

~~~~~~

End Part One.

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	3. Gold

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Keeper of the Keys

Gold

"I must be out of my mind." I pressed my hands against the side of the hill – more like a cliff face, if you ask me – and tried to keep making my slow, careful way along the path without tripping on unseen debris and taking a painfully quick trip back down the hill. "It's pitch black out and I'm going mountain climbing! This is crazy!"

Well, it may have been crazy, but that apparently wasn't enough to keep me from continuing to put my life on the line.

I had absolutely no idea why I was doing this. For one thing, I didn't have a clue if this was what the message meant. And for another, it was written in cheap blue ink on a sheet of note paper that had been dropped onto my textbook during English class. Not exactly a credible source.

But, there I was.

The rocky face hit a sharp turn under my hand, and I breathed a sigh of relief. _I made it!_ Given the circumstances, I felt that was quite the accomplishment. I'd made it to a small cave at the top of a steep hill even though it was midnight and pitch dark out. My craziness hadn't killed me.

I still didn't see anything gold, though. There were, as Duo had pointed out, a number of shadowed little corners and hiding places, but I didn't notice a chest of treasure or any hidden gold objects. Of course, there was the possibility that, if the note wasn't a joke of some kind, whatever I was looking for was buried somewhere around in there.

I had this funny feeling, though… Like I wasn't actually _looking_ for something – I was _waiting_ for something. It was strange.

"Great." I sighed, trying to shrug off that uneasy feeling. "Well, I'm here, like the note said. Now what?"

I probably shouldn't have asked. If fate were an actual person, I could swear that those two words, 'now what', were some kind of cue they constantly listened for – a challenge, perhaps. Once you asked the question, something had to take pains to give the answer, and usually in the most dramatic way possible.

That feeling of unease started to get worse as I stood there, apprehensively looking around. There was a slight breeze in the air – nothing astonishing in itself. But it almost seemed to be coming from the back of the cave – which made no sense, since there was only a blank wall there, no passage for wind to pass through.

Wasn't there?

Right in front of my eyes, the shadows on that rocky face seemed to deepen and become more full, giving the impression of a tunnel. A dark tunnel. With steady footsteps echoing down it, from somewhere on the other side.

__

Seeker, a voice seemed to hiss in my ear – though it could've been the wind. I had the sinking feeling that this – all of this – was very real. _Seeeeeeeeeeker_…

My heart hammered in my chest, but I couldn't move away. There was something about this… something right. Like this was something that was supposed to happen, and I, for whatever reason, had to witness it. A huge gust of wind blew right in my face, and I had to raise my arms to shield my eyes from the dust that flew up. When I looked again, there was a shadowy figure slowly emerging from the shadows to step into the light of what moon was out.

My eyes felt like they were going to expand and take over my whole face.

He was tall, and gave off the impression of strength somehow without needing to be overly muscled. He walked slowly, but purposefully, eyes fixed on me without surprise. His face, or what I could see of it behind a thick curtain of bangs hanging over one side, was a virtual wall – expressionless. And his eyes… I couldn't turn away from them; they held me in place securely as their owner stepped forward. The intensity in that steady gaze was enough to make me shiver.

As he got closer, I noticed two things. One, his eyes were the most brilliant dark green I'd ever seen, like something one would picture for a forest in a fairy-tale. And two, there was a wall behind him once again.

My breath caught sharply. "Who… _are_ you?"

He stopped, directly in front of me, not relenting with the captivating gaze. "You can call me Trowa Barton." Even his voice was without expression in it.

"But…" I couldn't seem to figure out which one of my questions I wanted answered first – must have been shock. "What… where… _how_…?"

The faintest ghost of a smile seemed to form on his lips. "I have something for you," he said, instead of answering my jumbled stuttering. One of his hands extended toward me, fingers opening to reveal a strangely-decorated gold key.

I was starting to make a few connections. A gold key. Like the note said… " 'Gold at the stone on the mountain high'?" This was too weird…

Trowa nodded. "You know the prophecy."

I shook my head weakly. "Prophecy?"

"You just quoted a line from a prediction made several hundred years ago," he explained, watching me. "One dealing with seven particularly important keys."

"I… didn't know it was a prophecy." I had absolutely no idea what was going on, but the only thing I could think of to do at the moment was act polite and go along with whatever happened. "I've never heard of it before."

"You just quoted it."

"It… It was on a note someone gave me in class." I shook my head, not sure if I was still in shock or if it was starting to wear off. I felt just slightly light-headed… "I don't know about a prophecy."

"Then I'll have to tell you." Trowa took up my hand and put the key into it firmly. "This is yours. There are six more, each with instructions on how to find it. It's your job to find them."

"My job to find some keys?"

"They aren't just ordinary keys."

I let that sink in for a moment. "I really don't understand what's going on, but I'll play along." I sucked in a breath. "You're saying I'm supposed to find some not-so-ordinary keys, because a prophecy said that's what has to be done, right?"

"Yes."

"Why _me?_ You don't even know who I am."

"You're a part of the prophecy as well," Trowa answered, still in that even tone. "You're called the Seeker, and it describes you quite well. At the moment, there is a war going on where I come from. The prophecy is intended to end that war if it is followed exactly."

I frowned, and looked down at the gold key in my hand. "I just watched you walk through a wall," I said, managing some semblance of a smile, "so I'm going to have to assume that you know what you're talking about – and that you don't mean another country when you say 'where I come from'. Where _do_ you come from?"

"From a country called the Sanc Kingdom," he replied. "That's enough for now. I'll be staying here only until you've found the keys, and then we can go back."

I felt another sinking feeling around the vicinity of my stomach. "We?"

Another brief smile. "You're needed, Seeker." Something in me responded to that name, and I knew that I'd end up going along with this, whether I liked the idea or not.

"Quatre," I corrected him, almost instinctively. "My name is Quatre Rebarba Winner. And I suppose, if you really do need me…" I let the sentence trail off and sighed. If I were watching someone else in this same position, I'd think they were crazy. "But how do I know I can trust you?"

Trowa shrugged. "You don't."

I studied him for a moment, in silence. Why on earth, I had to wonder, was I so calm? It hadn't even been five minutes since the wall of the cave I happened to be standing in turned into a tunnel, a mysterious stranger came strolling in, and I was told that I had to find some keys and go join a war in another world. Shouldn't I be in deep shock, or at least babbling or something? That's what one would normally expect from someone in my situation. And yet… This almost felt _right_, for some reason. _Trowa_ felt right; I just had this insistent urge to trust him. I didn't even know him, or anything about him, but every instinct told me to listen to what he was staying and go along with it.

His green eyes studied me right back, unblinking. I felt a shiver go down my spine, almost like a premonition. Not a bad one, though… _Trowa Barton. A friend,_ I decided, and let my instincts tell me what to do.

I smiled. "My place is near the bottom of this hill." My eyes met his, and I think we almost understood each other perfectly right then. "I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch."

Trowa shook his head, and that small smile crept back onto his face. "That will be fine. Quatre."

I wasn't quite sure why, but I liked the sound of my name on his lips. _Quatre_. Soft, almost sensual…

Nice.

I led the way out of the cave.

~~~~~~

End Part Two.

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	4. Ice

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Keeper of the Keys

Ice

"Well, this is the place." I held the door open until Trowa was inside, then closed and locked it. "It's not very big, but most people manage to have roommates, so I don't think it should be a problem. I turned the second bedroom into a sort of library and music room, so there isn't an extra bed. But the couch is OK with you?"

Trowa shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Hopefully, finding the keys won't take you long, and we can get back to the others."

I frowned. "Others?"

His eyes met mine. I couldn't avoid that gaze; it was so intense and thrilling, sending shivers down my spine. "Friends of mine. They're waiting for us on the other side."

Something about the way he said 'the other side' made me feel ever so slightly uncomfortable. I tore my eyes away and turned toward the closet. "I've got plenty of extra blankets in here if you get cold. There's food in the kitchen if you're hungry – you just have to look around to find what you need." I handed him a pillow and blanket. "Is there anything else?"

"This is more than enough." He turned toward the couch, and set down the two items. "You don't need to trouble yourself."

"It's no trouble." I smiled, catching his eyes again. This time was better: less intense and more comfortable. Could I have caught him off-guard? "I'll just be in the next room if you need anything."

He nodded, and I moved into my room. _I suppose it's selfish of me, not offering him the bed. But it's just…_Fire burned on my cheeks. The idea of having Trowa sleeping in my bed seemed way too personal. _I've only just met him! Besides, he said he was fine with the couch_.

That settled, I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed. _He doesn't seem to be the kind of person who'd demand high-class living conditions._ _I'm sure it's fine._ But I couldn't sleep, even after assuring myself of that. For some reason, I couldn't step thinking about Trowa. Maybe it was the whole business with the keys and this war, but… If that was the case, why did it seem more like I was just fascinated with his eyes? The image of them wouldn't leave my head. Every time I closed my eyes, there they were, green and intense and so piercing it made me shiver thinking about it.

__

Don't be stupid, Quatre, that warning voice at the back of my head told me, as I flopped against the pillow. _You've only just met him – you don't even know who he is or anything at all about him._

I could practically see his eyes in front of my face, staring directly at me, as though he could gaze into my soul. My stomach fluttered at the thought.

__

Not good. Not good at all. I turned my head to glance at the gold key on my bedside table. Trowa's words came back to me: 'I have something for you'. _Why can't I stop thinking about him? I don't even _know_ him!_

What was it about Trowa that held my attention so firmly?

~~~~~~

"Quatre."

I mumbled something under my breath and pressed my face further into the pillow.

"Quatre. Wake up."

Wake up? I'd just gone to sleep! It couldn't be time to wake up yet.

"You need to get up, Quatre. Right now."

Memories were starting to drift back into my head, slowly. Going climbing up on the mountain… finding the gold key… meeting Trowa… _Trowa!_

I sat up as quickly as I could manage to under the circumstances. "Trowa! I'm sorry – I just had a late night, and then I couldn't sleep – "

"Calm down." He leaned back, away from where he'd bent over my bed to wake me up. "I need to know where you keep your cooking utensils. I can't make breakfast if I don't know where anything is."

I blinked. "You're making breakfast?"

Trowa shrugged. "You were kind enough to offer me your hospitality. I thought I'd return the favor."

"You don't have to, Trowa," I protested. "I didn't let you stay here just because I thought you'd repay me for it. You're my guest."

His eyes burned into mine again, and I almost forgot to breathe. "It seems too much like charity. I like to be sure my debts are paid. That way I'm not tied to anyone."

I pulled my gaze from his, with effort. Right. That made sense. "Anything you say, Trowa." My pajamas were rumpled, but I was too tired to care. Yawning, I dragged myself out of bed and back toward the kitchen area. "I'll show you where to find everything."

Trowa was fascinating to watch in the kitchen. Actually, I had to privately admit that Trowa was fascinating to watch anywhere, but it was still interesting to watch him cook. He didn't seem self-conscious under my scrutiny, either; everything he did was done with seemingly perfect ease. It was like I wasn't even there at all.

"So, you know how to use a stove." I probably should've been surprised, but I don't think anything Trowa did could surprise me. He gave the impression that he knew how to do most things, and well, too.

"I've been in this world before," he answered, not looking up. "It's not that hard to catch on." He took one of the plates I'd gotten out for him, set an omelet and a piece of toast on it, and held it out for me.

I glanced at the empty pan. "Aren't you having anything?"

"I ate already." He continued to hold out the plate, waiting for me to take it

I relieved him of the burden, but grabbed a fork and dug it into the omelet. "That's fine, but you should have the first taste, as the cook." I smiled and held the forkful of omelet up toward him. "After all, you might be trying to poison me."

His eyes fell on the offering, then rose back up to me. Though I could still see that wall over his face, there was puzzlement in those dark green orbs. It seemed he was having as much trouble understanding me as I was understanding him.

__

Well, at least I know we're more or less on equal footing there, I thought to myself, as he finally took a bite. _He can't be ahead of me in everything._

"So," I began, sitting down at the table with my plate, "what am I supposed to do now? Go looking for another key?"

"You said you received a note," Trowa answered, seating himself across from me. "Why not check and see what it says?"

I shook my head. "All it said was that one line, about the gold."

Trowa smiled slightly. "Can I see it?"

"If you want to." I got up and moved back into my room to get the sheet of note paper. Trowa waited where he was until I came back and handed it to him. He unfolded it, paused to read what was there, then wordlessly held it out to me.

I took it, and stared. "But… This wasn't what it said yesterday."

The note now read 'Find ice when darkness blocks the sky'.

"It changes as you find them," Trowa explained briefly.

I put the note down and managed a rueful smile. "I guess I should start trying to get used to these strange things that happen, shouldn't I?"

He didn't say anything, but his eyes were intense again as they watched me. I looked down and tried to concentrate on my food. Thrilling as they were, those intense stares made me a bit uncomfortable. I preferred the other one, the time when there almost seemed to be warmth between us – a little more soft than the first.

"Do you have any idea of what this line means?" I asked, looking back up when I'd finished eating. "It sounds to be like I have to wait until there's some kind of darkness."

"It's the Seeker's job to find the keys," Trowa answered. "I'm here in case _they_ come after you."

My curiosity must have shown on my face. "They?"

A hint of a smile tugged at his lips. "Don't worry about it. You'll be meeting a few of _them_ before this is over."

I wasn't sure I liked the sound of that.

"You said you had a music room," Trowa commented, completely changing the subject.

"That's right. It's also a library."

"Do you play an instrument?"

I smiled. Music was one of my passions. "Several, actually."

"Any favorites?" The intense stare wasn't there, but his eyes were unfathomable. It was equally as fascinating to me as before.

"Not really. I like all kinds of music."

He smiled again, slightly. "I know how to play – but it would be interesting to hear someone who actually takes pleasure in making music. Would you?"

"I've never had a more welcome offer." I stood, returning that half-smile with a full one of my own. "There's nothing better than having an audience while you're playing. If you want, you can borrow an instrument from me – I'd be happy to listen to you as well."

Trowa stood and moved toward the room I'd pointed out to him. "Not today. Just give me a chance to hear you."

He'd caught me off-guard again. I couldn't help but feel unsettled by the look in his eyes – unsettled and drawn by it at the same time. "Oh – all right. Just pick an instrument and I'll play."

The smile given in response to that was a small one, but there was something in it that dazzled me all the same.

~~~~~~

That one last, aching note hung in the air as I lowered the bow of my violin. There was silence following, but I still felt like I could _feel_ the music. It was satisfying, to know I'd played well and it sounded just right. Somehow, I always seemed to play better with an audience. My eyes opened to catch Trowa's response.

No expression on his face, of course – but I thought his eyes were somehow softer, in a way. "You play well," he commented, impassively. "Passionate."

"That's nice of you to say." I lowered the instrument. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Do you do this often? It sounds more like instinct than something learned."

"I was taught." It was almost disappointing to admit. I wondered if Trowa had thought that I was self-sufficient enough to teach myself music. This, then, would certainly shatter his ideals of me. "I do play often, though. Almost every day, when I can."

"It shows. It always shows when a person is passionate about something."

I decided to be daring. "What are you passionate about, Trowa?"

His eyes locked with mine again: intense and beautiful. "I haven't found anything yet," he answered steadily. "I'm not sure if there is such a thing, that I could find passion in."

"There's always something." I wasn't sure why, but I was struck with a sudden desire to find some such thing for Trowa. Maybe it was just because of how I felt while playing, how fulfilled it could make a person feel to thoroughly enjoy what they were doing. I didn't think it right for anyone to be completely without that sort of experience.

"Perhaps. I've been looking out for something for longer than you probably think I've been alive."

That startled me. "How old are you, Trowa?"

"If you mean how many years have I physically aged, the answer is about twenty." He smiled cryptically. "But I've consciously been alive for a few hundred."

I couldn't doubt his words. "But how is that possible?"

"I spent most of my life in _their_ world."

"So, they live forever?"

"Possibly, if _they_ stayed in that world."

"But they don't."

"Because of a desire for dominance. _They_ feel that we are inferior, and should be _their_ slaves."

I was beginning to understand. "And that's what this war is about, isn't it? You're fighting with them over who gets control."

"Yes, generally speaking. There are humans on _their_ side as well."

"Who on earth would actually _want_ to be a slave?"

Trowa shrugged. "They believe that they will be rewarded for their service – that they will be masters, while the rest of us are slaves."

"But… that's just an illusion, isn't it?" I asked softly. "Even I can see that. If these things think that we're inferior, they wouldn't let any of us exist at a level equal with theirs. How can people believe that?"

"Dominance is a powerful driving force," Trowa replied calmly. "People will believe what they want to believe, whether or not it's the truth."

"But there _are_ people willing to fight back," I said, with certainty. "Otherwise it wouldn't be a war."

Trowa smiled briefly. "The 'others' I told you about earlier come from nations that are actively involved in fighting against _them_. Heero is from the Sanc Kingdom itself, and Wufei from somewhere to the east. They, too, follow the prophecy."

I frowned thoughtfully. "So where does this prophecy – ?"

I never got the chance to finish that question, because there was a fizzling noise and all the lights in my dorm went out at once.

"Damn!" I stumbled to my feet, nearly tripping over the violin. "There must be a power outage. I'll have to get a flashlight from my room."

I walked toward the door slowly, hands extended in front of me. "It's pitch black in here. Can you open a window for me, Trowa?"

There was a pause, and I felt Trowa brush past me, moving confidently. I envied him his instincts – obviously, he could sense obstructions well enough to avoid them in the dark. I heard his voice answer me a few seconds later.

"The window is already open, Quatre."

"What!?" I let go of the wall and stumbled forward. "But it's barely even mid-morning! It can't be this dark out already!"

"Apparently, it can."

"But that's – "

Someone knocked on the door, interrupting me. "Hey kid! Quatre, you in there?"

"Duo." I sighed. "Now is _not_ a good time…"

"Now's perfectly good!" he retorted, through the door. "I don't know if you've noticed, Quatre, but every single light in the building is out!"

"Duo," I said again, trying to sound firm, "I'm – " I stopped.

"Quatre?"

"There it is," I whispered, eyes caught on the small glittering something floating up near the ceiling. " 'When darkness blocks the sky'."

"Quatre! What's going on in there?"

"Congratulations," Trowa said quietly, ignoring Duo. I couldn't see him at all, but I could picture how he'd look clearly in my mind – expressionless face, just the barest hint of a smile, and with that same intense look in his eyes. "You've found the second key."

I didn't move my gaze from the glinting of light above my head. "Can I stand on your shoulders?" I asked. "I can't reach it on my own."

Barely ten seconds passed before I felt Trowa take my hands and brace them against his shoulders, which were waist height next to me. "I can handle your weight," he gave permission. "So don't worry about hurting me."

"Quat-_re!_" Duo's voice sounded half irritated and half whiney. "If you don't open this door in thirty seconds, I'm going to pick the lock and let myself in!"

"Just… wait… a second!" I grunted in response, pulling myself into a precarious position on Trowa's shoulders. "I'm busy!"

"How can you be busy? There's a power outage!" Duo rattled the door handle. "I'm coming in. You've got about ten seconds to finish up whatever it is you're doing."

"No, wait! Duo-whoa-AA!!!" I lost my balance and grabbed desperately at the air. My finger closed around something cold and solid as I tumbled down on top of Trowa.

The fall was painful, but the resulting position… wasn't entirely.

Light suddenly flared back into existence. I opened my hand and revealed a misty-translucent, ornately-carved key – very cold to the touch. Trowa let out a noise that sounded like a muffled groan, and then the door flung open and Duo burst in on us.

The expression on his face when he first saw us should've been a Kodak moment.

"Well, well, well." He recovered from that initial shock quickly, taking in the situation with a grin and one eyebrow raised. "It's not every day you find your best friend on the floor in their pajamas entangled with a complete stranger." Then he chuckled. "I think you've got some explaining to do, Quatre."

I shut my eyes and slumped back over Trowa. _Oh great…_

~~~~~~

End Part Three.

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	5. Rowan

****

Keeper of the Keys

Rowan

"We're not sleeping together, Duo."

"So you say." My best friend had a huge grin on his face. "What's the matter? Is he so good in bed that you don't want to share, or what?"

"Duo, I told you, he's just staying here. He's an old friend of mine." I felt bad about lying, but there wasn't much else I could say. If I told Duo that Trowa was from another world, and he was here to help me find some "magic" keys, he'd think I was going insane or something. "He just needed a place to stay."

"And a person to keep him company," Duo added wickedly. "Anyway, if you two are totally platonic, why were you lying on the floor all tangled together when I came in here? That looked a little friendlier than you've been trying to get at."

"I was trying to reach the light bulb by standing on Trowa's shoulders," I replied, almost being honest. "But you distracted me when you started threatening to pick the lock. So I fell on top of him."

"Oh, su-u-u-ure, you did." Duo siddled up to me. "So tell me – does he show any kind of emotion when you're screwing him silly, or does he keep that same expression the whole time?"

"Duo!" My face was turning bright red. "We're _not…having…sex!_"

"Quatre." I spun around at the sound of Trowa's voice behind me. _Oh great… Don't tell me he was listening…_ "Is everything all right? You were shouting."

"No… it's fine. Duo, now's not a good time to hang out. I have to show Trowa around, too." I smiled apologetically. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Oh, sure. I understand if you two want to be alo-o-one." He playfully elbowed my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll make myself scarce. Just give me a call when you've got a little free time, hmm?"

"I will," I promised, following him to the door.

"Oh, and don't forget." He paused and turned back to face me briefly. "We've got that dinner to go to tomorrow night. Why don't you bring Mr. Sunshine here along? You can show him off to everybody."

I sighed. Arguing with Duo was like having a laughing contest with a hyena. "Don't worry, we'll be there."

"Good. See ya tomorrow, kid." My best friend hurried out the door, pulling it shut behind him. "Don't have _too_ much fun!"

I smiled ruefully, turning back to Trowa. "Sorry. That was Duo – he's usually my best friend. When he's not making embarrassing comments about my social life."

"I see." Trowa glanced away from my face for a moment, then looked back up. "I meant to ask you about that statue, Quatre. Is it an antique?"

I followed his gaze, though I knew what he had to be talking about. "Oh," I forced a laugh. "That's just a carnival prize." I bent to open the small glass case and drew out the form of a shining red-gold form. "When I was about seven years old, my father won this for me at a ring-toss game." I studied the jumble of elaborate objects carved into one figure, and felt that memory rush back, painfully. "It was one of those great happy times that everyone likes to remember. Except, my father is…" I found it hard to finish.

Trowa didn't comment – blessedly – instead kneeling down beside me. "Interesting piece of work." He reached out and traced a finger down one part of the statue. "What do you think this looks like?"

I smiled slightly, feeling those memories flood me. "My father and I used to try and guess what each part looked like. That part was…" My voice caught, and I felt irrationally frightened. "A key," I finished softly. "It looks like a key."

He took the statue from my hands carefully, and put it back, closing the case. "Have you checked that note again?" he asked, purposefully changing the subject.

"No." I tore my eyes from that precious object, trying to shake off that sense of foreboding. So there was a key shape in my statue. That didn't mean anything. It was probably a coincidence. "I'll do that right now."

The note was still where I'd left it on the table. Trowa had been right about it changing when I found the key it spoke about, though – instead of the previous message, about Ice, it now read 'Rowan from the dangers among the trees'.

I handed the note to Trowa with a small smile. "There's just one problem with that," I said. "The only trees around here that could possibly be considered 'trees' and not just 'a tree' would be in the park."

"That narrows it down then, doesn't it?" He handed the paper back.

I stared at him. "You want me to go searching through a public park in broad daylight? Trowa, there'll be people coming and going the whole time! They'll think I'm crazy!"

He met my gaze calmly. "Don't go in broad daylight then."

"You mean I should go at night?"

"If it makes you feel better."

I felt just slightly ridiculous. Trowa was obviously interested in results, not methods. As long as I found the key, what did it matter how I'd chosen to look for it? And that was probably the right attitude to have about this.

"I guess you're right," I gave in. "It doesn't really matter, does it? I'll go later tonight, and until then I can do what I told Duo I was going to, and show you around. It'd probably be a good idea for you to know where everything is anyway."

He smiled. "So you're beginning to understand. That's good."

"I'm glad you approve." I returned the smile. The words may have sounded like something sarcastic, but when I said them to Trowa, I was being totally sincere.

~~~~~~

"Is this the place?"

I glanced up at the shadowed park area, and felt a shiver go down my spine. It was a totally familiar place, but for some reason, tonight it felt almost dangerous. There was a slight fog out that night which I didn't think was natural at all. "Yeah," I finally said in answer to Trowa's question. My voice sounded tense.

"Relax." Trowa headed for the park gates. "As long as you stay close to me, you'll be in no danger. Concentrate on finding the key."

I swallowed hard, and tried to push aside that uneasy feeling. "Right," I agreed, following him into that misty dark area.

The problem I found in searching for the Rowan key was the lack of directions beyond the fact that it was somewhere in the park. The area I had to search was huge, and I had no clues to tell me which part of it to look in. I'd have to go through every inch of the place until I found that key.

The idea wasn't all that appealing.

__

Well, I might as well get started. I sighed and bent to look through the bushes beside a small cluster of trees. I could feel Trowa behind me, silently watching.

I'm not sure how long I searched for. I didn't feel that irrational fear any more, though; a few hours of digging through bushes and peering into knotholes on trees had me unable to feel anything but frustration, weariness, and irritation. There were some scratches on my arms, I was hot and sweaty, and all I wanted to do was collapse and sleep for a year. And I had only been through about a third of my search area. That key had better be worth it.

"Can we come back another night, Trowa?" I asked, forcing myself to stand again on aching feet. "I'm about ready to fall down."

No answer.

"Trowa?" I turned. The mist had gotten heavier, and I couldn't see the taller boy anywhere. He'd been right behind me a minute ago. "Trowa! Where are you?"

Silence.

I licked my lips nervously and looked around. There was a slight breeze that seemed to whisper in my ears, almost like something calling me: _Seeeeeeker…_

My head shot up. Was that an actual voice, or just the breeze? _"Seeker… Seeeeeeeeker…"_ I could feel my heart pounding hard in my chest. _Trowa said I'd be safe as long as I stayed close to him. But he's not here…_

__

"Here," the breeze whispered, and my eyes were drawn in a different direction. _"Here… here… here…"_ I was left staring at a single spot.

Where something small and wooden lay on the forest floor.

I had a feeling about this – not a bad feeling or a good feeling, just… a feeling. As if moving in a dream or through water, I walked forward slowly, hearing the breeze seem to urge me onward. When I reached the spot, I halted and gazed down at what had focussed my attention.

A shrewdly carved wooden key.

"Trowa!" I didn't expect him to hear me, but I had to call for him anyway, I was so relieved. Finally! Now we could go home. "I found the key! Where are you?" I bent to pick up my prize.

The second my fingers closed around the small wooden object, the world went cold.

__

"Seeker… Seeker…" Those were definitely voices. There was a mocking note to them that hadn't been present before. _"Here, here… Seeker, here…"_

I considered questioning them, but decided it would be wiser to keep silent. Other than my heart – which refused to calm down – I was completely still. My body felt frozen in place; I couldn't even move, much less run. _What's going on? What are these things?_

And where's Trowa?

That mist was getting thicker, floating around my head, making me feel confused and dizzy. I felt like it could swirl in inside of my head and take over me, or drag all the knowledge from my mind. But I couldn't see whoever was speaking no matter how I tried. My vision was starting to blur, and I felt a demand being made – no words, just a sense that something was wanted that I had. 

"What?" I whispered, barely able to think. I struggled to remain aware.

__

"Keys." Nothing else; just that one word. _"Keys… keys… Seeker, keys…"_

I think I'd been more or less expecting something like that. I fought with the instinct to give away everything. "I don't have them," I breathed – which was true, since they were in my top drawer back at my dorm room.

__

"Lie!" That was more a shriek than a whisper. _"Lie… lie… lie…"_

"It's the truth," I whispered back. My voice wasn't working, and I felt myself stiffen as if that cold grip which held me were tightening its hold.

Something shifted inside my head, almost as if they were probing…

__

"Closed…" The voice sounded angry. _"Seeker… closed…"_

Heavy footsteps sounded from behind me, and I was abruptly assaulted by a chorus of shrieking voices. A wind rushed by me, and even with my sight blurred, I could see the mist seem to swirl about wildly. _"Darksbane!"_ they screamed, almost – I would think – in hysterical terror. _"Darksbane! Darksbane!"_

And then Trowa was beside me.

"Just relax, Quatre," he told me, setting a comforting hand on my shoulder. The blurring of my eyes started to clear. "Look at me," he said. "Don't look anywhere else – just at me."

I obeyed, feeling too weak and confused to question anything. Trowa seemed to be staring hard at something, and then – I thought I saw a flash of moonlight shimmer over his eyes, like a reflection of something silver. But there was too much heavy fog around to allow for that. So what…?

Something beside, behind – all around – me started to shriek.

I clamped my hands over my ears, unable to keep in a gasp of pain. The sound was _horrible!_ I'd never heard anything like this; it seemed to pierce through every inch of me and sink into the places where I could be hurt the most. My eyes were shut tight, but tears squeezed out and streamed down my cheeks all the same. And just when I felt for sure that I couldn't bear it any longer…

It stopped.

Trowa gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and I cautiously opened my eyes. The mist seemed to have vanished, and he and I were standing alone in the middle of the park. "It's all right," he told me calmly, turning back toward me. "It's over."

"Wha… What was that?" My voice was shaking. Trowa looked perfectly normal, no silver shimmerings over his eyes. There was a look of concern in them, though.

"A few of _them_. I had a feeling you'd be meeting some before long." He slid his hand off my shoulder and bent to retrieve the key I'd unintentionally dropped. "The key was a trap. They thought that you'd be unable to defend yourself if separated from me."

I flushed at that, glad that it was too dark for him to see. Perhaps it was unintentional on his part, but that comment made me feel horribly incompetent. For some reason, it was almost unbearable to think that I couldn't measure up to Trowa's expectations. I could feel a painful lump in my throat, and did my best to swallow around it, fighting back tears of shame. What would Trowa think of me if I started bawling like a baby? "What happened to them?" I asked, to distract myself. "And… what was that shrieking?"

"I took care of them. They won't be coming back."

My eyes widened involuntarily. "But _how?_"

Trowa shrugged. "It's a gift. They always make that shrieking noise when they go."

"I didn't get a chance to see any of them," I commented lamely.

"It's better that you didn't. You might have lost your mind otherwise."

"Oh." There wasn't much I could say to that.

"We should go back," he suggested, not letting the silence hang in the air too long. "You look tired." That protective hand rested on my shoulder for a moment, and then he moved to lead the way back out of the park.

__

He thinks I'm helpless. I couldn't believe how horrible that felt. Trowa thought I was weak. That I was some childish, silly, defenseless boy playing at an important job like finding these keys. It was like I couldn't handle it; Trowa had to be there, the faithful babysitter, making sure I didn't hurt myself.

__

I'll show him otherwise, I promised to myself, following the tall form out of the park. _I'll do this right – and I'll prove to Trowa that I'm worthy of his respect!_

~~~~~~

End Part Four.

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	6. Emerald

****

Keeper of the Keys

Emerald

It was impossible to sleep. I stared at the ceiling, once again going over the conversation I'd had with Trowa before we'd gone to bed. Every time I thought about it, my face burned. It was so humiliating! _I'm not weak!_ I wanted to scream at him. _I've taken care of myself since my parents died, I'm going to school and studying hard, I've taken martial arts classes with Duo and done very well, and I… AM… NOT… HELPLESS!_

With thoughts like that running through my mind, it was no wonder I couldn't relax for long enough to fall asleep.

Sighing, I flopped over onto my stomach and went through the fateful conversation one last time.

~~~~~~

"The key was a trap, of course." Trowa turned to face me – again with the intense stare that made me feel so nervous. "You need to be more careful."

"I didn't know," I protested, wincing even as I did. My words sounded defensive, childish. "You weren't there, and I just thought…" I trailed off.

"You should've stayed close, like I told you," he replied, voice not changing to sound anything other than offhand. Still, I flushed – I could almost _feel_ his opinion of me lowering every second. "A person without my gift can't hope to stand up to _them_."

"I didn't know they'd be there!" I was desperately trying to think of something – anything – that would erase my mistake and make me look less weak in his eyes. "All I knew was that we were looking for the key, and I'd found it."

"_They_ let you find it."

"How was I supposed to know they had it?" I demanded.

"You should've been more cautious."

"I'm sorry." I was flushing horribly, with embarrassment and despair. "I made a mistake, I know, and I _am_ sorry. But if you'd just _told_ me – "

"I _assumed_," Trowa interrupted, blandly, "that you'd be prepared for danger. I apologize for making such an assumption. I won't next time."

That statement felt like a dagger thrust in the stomach. I tore my eyes from his, fighting tears. _Stop that, you baby!_ I ordered myself, and walked stiffly into the bedroom, not looking back. I didn't want to see the disdain that would surely show in Trowa's eyes when he watched me.

~~~~~~

__

He was right. I felt that ache start to build at the back of my throat, and tried to push it back. _The note even said 'danger' right on it. I shouldn't have been so overconfident. And feeling sorry for myself won't help me. Instead of lying here agonizing over the fact that Trowa thinks I'm weak, why not get up and go _do_ something about it?_

That made a surprising amount of sense. I sat up abruptly. Obviously, I wasn't going to get any sleep until I'd at least proved something to myself, if not to Trowa as well. So I might as well put that extra time to good use.

The note sat on my bedside table, untouched since I'd left it there when we went to search for the Rowan key. I'd been so upset by Trowa's words that I hadn't even remembered to glance at it when I came into the room. But… the best way to earn back Trowa's respect would be to find the next key – alone. I reached out and snatched the note off of its resting place.

'Emerald in the dive to the lake from the seas'. I stared at that for a moment. There was a bit of a problem there… We weren't anywhere near any seas. There was a lake nearby, with a river flowing out of it at one end and a waterfall pouring into it at the other. The whole area was generally known as Richland Falls.

But it still didn't have any seas.

__

Well, it's the best we've got. I pushed aside the covers and stumbled out of bed, reaching for my clothes. _So it'll just have to do._ I peeled off my pajamas and hastily dressed. It would spoil everything if Trowa woke up before I left. This was something I had to do by _myself_.

My luck was holding. When I cautiously opened the door and peered out, my mysteriously companion was still asleep. I noticed that he was a quiet sleeper – didn't snore or murmur or make any noise. That was probably training more than anything, though. I had to stop for a moment and watch him – in sleep, he was somehow entirely compelling to my eye without being so otherworldly and intriguing. He looked just like a normal young man, one who drew me as thoroughly as the fascinating stranger side of him had. My eyes traced over his jawline, down what there was of his chest above the blankets. The smooth muscles on his arms and shoulders seemed to be something awe-inspiring, though I'd seen the same sort of thing on others many times before. On Trowa, it was entirely different. It was… _Trowa_.

I tore my eyes away, silently berating myself for getting distracted. _It's not going to improve his opinion of me if he wakes up and I'm staring at him, is it?_ I tried to ignore the sound of Trowa's rhythmic breathing and padded quietly toward the door. _He can't wake up now, he _can't…

The door shut quietly behind me. No noise from within. I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against it. All right – the first obstacle was out of the way. Now to find that key.

"Hey Quatre!"

I jumped guiltily. "Duo! What are you doing out here?"

"My laundry." He tugged at the sack over his shoulder. "You didn't think I washed all of my clothes by hand, did you? Besides, I need something from the dry-cleaners for that semi-formal dinner party tonight." He made a face.

"Right." I realized I'd have to actually go out and _buy_ something for Trowa to wear, or he wouldn't be able to come. "You're still getting me a ride, aren't you? I don't know how to get to – who's giving the party?"

"Dorothy Catalonia. And don't ask me why we're invited – I've never even said two words to the girl." He shrugged. "Big pain in the butt if you ask me. But… she specifically told me to invite you." At that, he grinned. "Maybe she's got a thing for you, Quatre."

I thought back to the first and only time I'd actually spoken to Dorothy. "I don't think that's it," I answered dubiously, shrugging. Actually, I didn't really care about Dorothy Catalonia or her party. "Hey, Duo, could you help me out with a riddle?"

"How to distract your best friend from your secret sex life?" He grinned at me.

"Duo!" I tried to glare at him. "I'm serious!"

"All right, all right." He held up his free hand in surrender. "So what's the riddle?"

"It's sort of like something in a treasure hunt, actually," I clarified, then repeated the clue on the sheet of note paper out loud.

Duo shook his head. "Gold, emeralds… Man, what is it with you and treasure, huh? I don't suppose you got this one on _another_ mysterious note, did you?"

I squirmed uncomfortably. "Sort of…" That was awkward.

"You sure live an interesting life." He grinned. "Anyway, the riddle… Hmm…" He put a hand to his mouth in a classic thinking pose. "Well, I understand the lake part," he mused. "And a dive… That would make you think of Richland Falls, except…" He stopped, and his eyes lit up. "Got it!"

"What?" I leaned forward eagerly.

"Well," Duo began, grinning like anything, "_where_, exactly, do the rivers all come from, and go back to eventually?"

I suddenly felt very stupid. "Oh… right. I should've thought of that."

"Yup!" he said cheerfully. "You should've. Since that river pouring into the lake as Richland Falls is originally from the sea, you've got the answer to your riddle right there. Go dive off the waterfall." He paused. "Not that I think an emerald is worth inviting death like that."

"You're probably right." I smiled ruefully. "But I'd like to take a look anyway. I'll meet you out here at around six o'clock, all right?"

"Sure thing, kid." He headed off in the opposite direction, toward the laundry room. "I'll see you there. Let me know how the treasure hunt goes."

"All right." I turned back in the direction I'd already been heading. _Well, at least I was going to the right place the first time._

I opted against taking my car, as we had for the park. For one thing, Richland Falls was only a twenty minute walk, and for another, I was doing this to make an issue of the fact that I could do things for myself. It wouldn't look too good if I had to drive when my destination was an easy walk away. _And hopefully, by the time Trowa realizes where I've gone, I'll have the key already._

Hopefully.

I made good time, and got to the lake in closer to fifteen minutes than twenty. The sun was out, so it was nice and bright, though quiet. The day had that crisp coolness to it that generally categorized early morning. For some reason, that was raising my spirits a great deal. I felt better already.

__

I know I can handle this. The falls were not very high, but they would make any sort of dive a dangerous trick. I couldn't shake that confidence I felt, though. This was something _I_ was meant to do. I was brave enough to handle it, and if I could pull the feat off properly, then I wouldn't need to worry about the danger. It was my destiny to find those keys – and I _would_ be alive to do it.

The rocks that lined Richland Falls were close to perfect for climbing on. I didn't have to scramble much for hand- or foot-holds, which made things easier. I doubted that was coincidence. In a matter like the one I was involved in, it seemed there wasn't much left to pure chance.

__

If you were here to watch me, Trowa, I thought to myself, making it over the edge of the rock face, _you'd see that I can handle this. I'm a lot stronger than you think. And I _am_ worthy of you. You'll see._

The falls made a loud rushing sound. I swallowed and made my way over to the river, where it poured smoothly down the steep line of rock and crashed into the still waters below. There were a few rocks I could stand on in the midst of that rushing liquid. Gathering my courage, I stepped out onto them.

__

Come on, Quatre. The height seemed to multiply as I stood there, gazing down. There was a hypnotic quality to the movement of the water, like diamonds and sapphires churning over each other, the drops of white and blue spilling, swirling, blending together. _Don't freeze up. Just… don't think about it. Your key is in there somewhere. Your Emerald…_

Taking a deep breath, I dove off the rock and into the churning waters below.

It was probably about half an instant between the point where I dived off to when I hit the water. But it seemed longer, somehow… I was falling, or flying, or… something. And then there was something smooth and solid pressing into my palm, enclosed in the tight grip of my fingers.

I smiled.

And felt water close around me.

~~~~~~

The walk back was one I made quickly, feeling lighter than air. My clothes were soaked and heavy, and my shoes squished uncomfortably as I walked, but I'd never felt happier. There was a smile on my face that just wouldn't lessen, no matter how it made my jaw ache.

And the Emerald key was clutched tight in my hand.

"Quatre? Quatre!" A tall, lithe form was hurrying down the path toward me. He slowed as he caught sight of me, then stopped altogether. "Where were you?"

I shrugged. "I went to get the next key."

"Without telling me." It was a statement rather than a question. Trowa's face was perfectly composed, but his eyes and posture showed at least a million signs of a previous distress. He gripped my shoulders with both hands, just slightly tighter than was necessary. "Are you all right?" Even that normally emotionless voice had slipped – I sensed concern.

"Fine, Trowa." I, on the other hand, was the picture of serenity – barring the soggy appearance, of course. "Sorry to worry you. I thought that since you were asleep I didn't really need to bother you. The keys are my responsibility, not yours."

"Quatre…" There was something in his eyes as he looked at me – I couldn't place it, but I knew it had to be good.

"I _am_ the Seeker, after all," I told him, holding out the Emerald key. "I'm capable of handling this job. I'll need your knowledge and your skills, Trowa, but the job of finding the keys is mine."

He stared at me for a moment, and then another of those small smiles warmed his face. "You're going to do an excellent job, Quatre," he told me softly, eyes seeming to glow as they studied me.

I don't think I'd ever heard anyone tell me something that made me feel as happy as I did right then.

~~~~~~

End Part Five.

Please, _please_ review!!!!! I'm begging you… I love reviews! Please?


	7. Diamond

****

Keeper of the Keys

Diamond

"So how did you know where I was?" I had to say the question louder than normal to make sure Trowa heard it through the closed bathroom door. Tugging off my soaked shirt, I added, "I didn't leave a note or anything."

"Your friend, Duo, told me," his voice answered, as I shimmeyed out of my pants. "He was just coming back from the laundry room when I came out to go looking for you." There was a pause. "Does he find nicknames for everyone, or am I a special case?"

I started to towel myself off. "What do you mean?"

"He called me 'Smiley'."

"Oh." Of course – classic Duo. "He's just teasing you. It's because you look so serious. He's always kidding around, though. Don't worry about it."

"Did you check the note?"

"Not yet." I pulled on a clean pair of shorts, then pants. "You can, if you want. It's on my bedside table." One of my button-up shirts was next, and then I was done. The wet clothes were hung up in the shower. _All right._

Trowa had found the note by the time I walked out of the bedroom. He held it out so that I could check the next clue. 'Diamond in the fragments of the beast.' I wasn't too sure I liked the sound of that one.

"I guess we'll just have to wait, won't we?" I asked, looking up to give Trowa a rueful grin. "There's no way we can go looking for this 'beast'; it'll have to find us."

"It'd be best to get out of your apartment," Trowa commented. "Unless you'd like to have a beast of some kind rampaging through it."

"Good thought." I pondered that for a minute. "Well, I do need to get you a new suit for tonight, if you're coming to Dorothy's dinner party. We could get that done early, then take a walk out around the lake – away from other people."

There was a slight smile on Trowa's face at that. His eyes caught mine – they were gorgeous eyes, dark and mysterious and utterly beautiful – and my breath caught in my throat. Alone in a dark forest, just Trowa and myself… The idea made my heart start to pound. _Get a grip! You were alone in the park with him last night, weren't you?_

"I wouldn't want you to inconvenience yourself to buy me new clothes," he said, snapping me out of my self-induced trance. "I'm sure it would cost you…"

"That's not a problem." I smiled. "I guess I forgot to tell you, I'm… sort of rich. By inheritance, though, not because I actually did something to earn it. As long as the money's there, I might as well use it."

He nodded slowly, showing no surprise. "I see. Then you can buy me whatever you wish. I'll have to leave myself in your hands on this matter." What a choice of words…

"I hope I don't disappoint you." I grabbed my car keys from the counter. "Well, if we're going to go, we might as well quit standing around."

~~~~~~

Trowa turned out to be an incredibly patient shopper – which wasn't at all surprising, considering that he was patient about everything under the sun. He endured the sales pitch, listening to it without changing expression and then predictably ignoring it. I helped him pick out the clothes he wanted – basically, I would select a style, and he would decide whether or not he wanted to try it. Trowa looked _stunning_ in black. I don't think I'd ever enjoyed shopping for clothing more in my life.

"That salesman overcharged you," Trowa observed as I made sure his new clothes were secure inside my car. "You shouldn't have made it known that money was no object. People tend to take advantage of opportunities like that."

"It doesn't really matter." I sighed, locking the car door again. "I have more money than I really know what to do with. And I'm not sure it's right for just one person to have so much. I wish my sisters would take some, but I know they won't – they're too proud. So I settle for spreading it around when I can. When I'm through college and have a decent job, I'll donate what I don't need to charity."

"That's a selfless act." We were walking away from the small parking lot, toward where the city gave way to forest land. I'd been there before, so I led the way, with Trowa strolling calmly beside me. "Why?"

"You mean, why do I want to give up all that money?" I was used to the question. "I don't need it. And I'd like to experience life for myself rather than having everything handed to me on a silver platter. It'll seem more like something that's mine that way."

"You've got very strong morals for a university student." He turned to look at me and I was both startled and pleased to see warm approval in his eyes. "It's amazing that you can hang onto your principles in today's world."

I smiled. "Well, I did lead a fairly sheltered life."

"You went to school, didn't you?"

"Of course. But what – ?"

"That's where most people find their ideals get shattered. Those who have already been disillusioned don't usually like to have people around them who haven't."

I thought about it for a moment. "I never had a real problem with that. The people I knew seemed to genuinely like me – they never tried to change me in any way."

"It's one of your gifts." Trowa gave me a sidelong glance, one of those small smiles on his face. "Quatre, in some ways, you are far more powerful than I could ever hope to be."

"What do you mean?"

"You draw people to you. They trust you instinctively, and as they get to know you better, you become easy to care about." His eyes closed briefly. "The human heart is a powerful thing to have control over."

I could feel my cheeks getting hot. "I don't know about that," I answered, trying to cover up my embarrassment and pleasure. Was that what Trowa really thought about me? "I don't have any real power – it's just being kind whenever there's an opportunity…"

"You'd be surprised how much power that gives you." He turned to look at me again. "Take your friend, Duo, for example. This morning he asked me quite a few questions regarding my relationship with you. He also told me right out that if I ever did anything to hurt you, he'd have to put me in the hospital."

I couldn't help but grin. "That's Duo for you. Nobody hurts his friends, unless they feel like facing _him_. I'm sorry you had to go through that." Heat rose to my face again. "Duo seems to think there's more between us than just friendship."

"I know. He hinted at it. I believe the exact words were, 'You can screw with him physically, just don't play around with his emotions.'"

I could've fried things on my cheeks by then. "Duo can be pretty blunt sometimes," I said, making a silent promise to have words with my "best friend" later.

"He shouldn't make assumptions without having possession of all the facts," Trowa noted. "Though I suppose I can understand why he would think that way. We were in quite the compromising position when he walked in on us."

"I guess you're right." The blush was starting to recede, thank goodness. "But I still don't agree with you about people being drawn to me. I'd think more people would be interested in someone like _you_, Trowa. I mean, you're mysterious and intriguing, and people can feel safe around you. I know I do."

Silence. I glanced up at my companion and was startled to find a faint tinge of red staining his cheeks. Trowa was _blushing?_ I was both amazed and please; he'd always had that wall over his face, against emotion. I was honored to think that _I_ could be the one to cause it to crumble.

"I'm sorry," I said, as the silence lengthened. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's all right." There was a softness in his voice, not in volume but in the tone. Made me feel warm all through. "But, you know, you're only proving my point. Comments like those come easy to you – you make people feel good about themselves. It's an attractive quality."

I decided at that point that arguing was probably useless. "Thank you, Trowa."

He nodded, then abruptly stopped walking. The look in his eyes, which had been some warm emotion I found hard to place, shifted to display caution.

I stopped and watched him curiously. "Trowa, what…?"

"Do you hear it?" he interrupted me.

"Hear what?"

"Listen."

I was quiet for a moment, and then I _could_ hear it – a kind of distant howling, with a strange crackling feel to it, like electricity. It didn't sound like any of the local animals – didn't sound like any kind of earthly creature at all, even. "The beast from the note?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

Trowa nodded, not looking at me. "I know what it is now. We don't have long to wait. Here." He pulled something from his pocket and handed it to me. "I thought we might need this."

The object was cold to the touch. I held it up so I could see it – the Ice key. "What do I do with this?"

"I'll tell you when the time comes. It's better if you have no expectations beforehand."

I started to respond to that, but found myself cut off by a loud snarling noise. Trowa stepped between the source of the noise and myself, but unlike in the park, today I was able to get a full, clear look at my enemy.

The 'beast', as it had been titled in the note, looked something like a giant wolf, but there were significant differences. Its teeth had a golden sheen to them, and the edges were knifelike. It was nearly as tall as Trowa, but there wasn't much of its body visible. Instead of fur, the thing was covered in crackling, spitting electrical bolts. There were so many of them, twining and twisting and mingling about each other, that they seemed to serve as a different sort of fur – a coat of lightening. Its eyes were bright and intelligent – human eyes, not those of an animal.

The combination was horrifying.

I'm not sure what I'd have done if those horrible too-human eyes had been focussed on me. I'd like to think I would've been brave, but… Well, it wasn't an issue. The beast was looking at Trowa, not me, and its gaze was decidedly hostile. Trowa gazed right back at it, almost disdainfully.

I was abruptly very frightened – and not for myself. "Trowa!"

"Just stay there, Quatre," he told me calmly. "I'll tell you what to do."

He sounded so in control of the situation, it was hard not to feel reassured. But still… "You're not really going to fight that thing, are you?"

"No. I don't have the proper weaponry."

"Then how…?"

"Wait for my signal."

I didn't have a chance to respond to that, because Trowa leapt to the side gracefully, just as the strange beast decided that it had given its enemies enough talking time and pounced on the place where Trowa _had_ been. It gave a growl of frustration and tried again, moving quicker this time. My companion dodged it easily, flipping with an acrobatic ease out of its way. He crouched low, watching the stymied beast through almost bored eyes. The tall boy didn't even look winded.

Actually, I was probably more terrified than he was. I nearly had a heart attack every time that thing jumped at him. "Trowa!"

"Not yet." He grunted, avoiding the now enraged, roaring beast. Crackles of lightening were starting to spark and flare around its coat. "I'll tell you when, Quatre. Just wait."

"And what happens if you make a mistake while I'm waiting?" I demanded, gasping a little as those huge teeth snapped down, just inches away from chomping off some part of Trowa.

"I won't." He gracefully side-stepped an attack of sharp golden claws.

There wasn't much I could say to that. I tried to relax and trust Trowa to do things right, but it felt like I was going to crush the Ice key in my finers. _Oh Trowa, be careful!_

I have no idea how he did it. He might've jumped up into a tree – which was probably what he did – but he moved so quickly that I just blinked and then he was gone. No leaves rustling, no noise… nothing. Trowa just wasn't there any more.

The electric beast seemed confused and extremely frustrated by this new development. It halted, looked around, and growled menacingly, eyes clouded with puzzlement and no small amount of anger.

I just blinked. _Trowa…?_

"Now, Quatre." His voice seemed to be coming from all around me. The creature he'd been fighting looked around it as if searching for new enemies. "Now you can act."

I glanced about helplessly. "What do I do, Trowa?"

"Use the key."

"How?"

The beast in front of me didn't look amused. It was snarling and spitting angrily as it searched for its vanished opponent. I had to wonder how long it would be before those very human eyes focussed on _me_.

"Hold it up," Trowa instructed. "As if you were going to unlock something."

I followed this direction immediately, holding the key up with the toothed end out in front of my hand. My head felt suddenly very heavy, and there seemed to be a tightening in the air around me, as if I were drawing some essense from the atmosphere to that one place. I felt pressure around the Ice key, as if it were actually in a lock of some kind.

"Good," Trowa said approvingly. "Now, concentrate on that spirit creature – think of nothing else – and turn the key."

The beast in front of me was wide-eyed and whimpering, with a half growl mixed in every few seconds. It seemed to be terrified of the energy gathering around me – or around the Ice key. I tried to keep that image in my mind and focus on it.

Then I turned the key.

And the creature we'd been fighting turned to ice.

I gasped and nearly dropped my prize. "Trowa!" I breathed, amazed. "Was… that supposed to happen?" The brand new ice statue was starting to tremble ominously. "Uh… Trowa…?"

"Watch out, Quatre!" He jumped in front of me from out of nowhere and grabbed me around the waist, pulling my surprised form tight against his chest and offering his back to the now dangerously rocking sculpture.

It exploded half a second later, fragments of ice flying everywhere. Trowa let out a series of pained grunts as they struck him in the back, but didn't loosen his grip. I had a feeling… like in the park, I just _knew_ what I was looking for, and how I was going to get it.

I thrust out my hand and snatched the Diamond key right out of the air.

"Trowa?" I tried to pull my head back and get a look at his face. There weren't any more flying chunks of ice, but I was worried by his silence and lack of movement.

He loosened his hold on me reluctantly, pulling back to look me in the eye. "Are you all right?" he asked softly, beautiful green eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine. But I should be asking _you_ that." I showed him the key. "We got what we were looking for, at any rate. But what was that thing?"

"We call them spirit creatures. They come from _their_ world."

Oh. _Them._ That made sense. "Then… how did it get here?"

"I'm not sure." Trowa actually looked angry. "Someone from your world had to have acted as a channel in order to bring it here. I don't believe _they_ are our only enemies this time."

That didn't sound good. I felt a shiver go down my spine and tried to shrug it off. "So how did you know it would explode when I turned it to ice?"

"It's composed purely of energy," he replied, more calmly. "Ice could only contain that for so long. It had to either explode or melt."

"Why didn't you tell me that the keys could do things like that?"

"It wasn't necessary for you to know."

I decided not to argue that one. "Well, why did you let yourself get hurt just to keep _me_ from getting hit by those ice chunks? You could've just stayed where you were and been unhurt by any of it."

Silence. I was confused for a minute, then I realized that Trowa still had his arms around me, protectively. _No. It couldn't be. It's…_

"Trowa?" I looked up at his face and forgot what I was going to say.

Trowa was smiling.

And it touched his eyes.

I stared up at that achingly perfect vision, transfixed by the warmth I felt radiating from him – a warmth that was directed entirely at me. "Trowa…?" His name was barely a breath – just a whispered question I couldn't quite put into words.

I'm not sure who it was that started to lean forward first. All I know is that we were both tilting our heads toward each other, breathing intermingling softly, before my lips brushed against something warm. Warm and soft and perfectly delicious, as Trowa gently reciprocated my kiss. It seemed as though my whole body felt that beautiful contact; every part of me tingled in reaction. Even when we slowly broke apart, I still felt him kissing me.

Trowa smiled.

And I couldn't help but return it.

~~~~~~

End Part Six.

OK, here comes the predictable plead for reviews: please? Please review?


	8. Silver

****

Keeper of the Keys

Silver

"So what do the other keys do?" I glanced up at Trowa's face briefly, then concentrated on the path in front of me. "Or do you know?"

"Some." He smiled back at me, fingers brushing the back of my hand from where they twined with mine. "The Ice key is fairly obvious. Gold can take me directly from my world to yours, and back – at specific locations. Otherwise, I'd have had to go through _their_ world."

"That makes sense." I thought about if for a minute, though it was somewhat hard to concentrate. The memory of Trowa's kiss seemed to want to consume all of my attention. I'd _never_ felt that way about a kiss before, though it definitely wasn't my first. But, from what I'd experienced, I had formed a sort of opinion about kissing – that it was some casual activity between people who were looking for amusement and affection. What I'd shared with Trowa blew that theory away as if it were an insignificant piece of dust on a smoothly carved jewelry box. Every fibre of my being had been involved in _feeling_ that simple kiss, and the emotion it stirred in me was something overwhelming. Even then, after it was long since over, I revelled in the memory of it. Every one of his touches, no matter how simple, brought it rushing back. There was something special between us, like a connection of some kind…

And I couldn't help but believe that he felt it the same way I did.

"You're quiet all of a sudden," Trowa noted, looking and sounding faintly amused. I looked at him and smiled, enjoying that warm affection that seemed characteristic of his eyes now when he looked at me.

"Just thinking." I turned to look at the path again, still feeling his gaze on me and liking the feel of it. Was this sort of thing even possible? It was like something in a fairy tale… But there was a reality to it that told me I wasn't dreaming. "Do you know about any of the other keys?"

"Only the last one – the Amber key. I don't know how much, just that it has something to do with loyalty and emotions." He paused. "I doubt very much that you'll need to use it. I think you could bring out loyalty and emotion in a stone."

I blushed, but felt pleased. "Do I bring out emotion in you, Trowa?"

"I didn't think it was possible, but yes, you do."

I smiled. "Then I'm glad."

We were both silent for a while then, just more or less enjoying the moment. It was almost amazing how fast and hard I'd fallen for Trowa. I'd just met him and all I could think about was how I never wanted him to leave. It was the kind of thing that made me immediately start to think of destiny and other fantastical things. Corny as it sounded, the notion seemed almost plausible when speaking of what Trowa and I had.

"Do you have the note with you?" Trowa asked, breaking the silence and bringing my mind back to what we had to do. "We could see where the next key might be."

"Right." I reached into my pocket. "I did remember to bring it this time." Carefully, I unfolded the note paper and read the latest clue: 'Silver from the fury at the feast'. Right, that made a lot of sense.

Then again, none of the clues made sense at first.

Trowa glanced at it over my shoulder. "Didn't we just finish buying a suit for me to wear to a dinner party tonight?"

I had to smile. "Everything fits together, then."

"That's generally a rule when dealing with prophecy. They tend to fulfill themselves."

"Makes things convenient, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Trowa's eyes shifted to worry. "But I should warn you of something, Quatre. Not everything in dealing with this prophecy is so simple. The keys are a common part in two separate prophecies – but they are the only similarity between the two."

I wasn't sure I caught that. "What do you mean?"

"We have our prophecy, and _they_ have _theirs_."

"And they say different things will happen?"

"Yes. They also have very different outcomes. Ours says that we will in the end seal _them_ back into _their_ world. That would result in peace."

I caught on. "And theirs says that they'll take over, doesn't it?"

Trowa nodded, then looked up. "I'll tell you more later. We should go back to your place if we're going to get ready in time for that dinner tonight."

I followed his gaze. We were back in the parking lot again. "That's probably a good idea," I agreed, reluctantly letting go of Trowa's hand to unlock my car door. _And I hope we can do more than just _talk_, later._

~~~~~~

"What time are we meeting Duo at?"

I straightened the front of my good clothing. "Six o'clock. And we haven't got much time, I know." A glance in the mirror assured me that everything was in place. Dorothy's party wasn't a tuxedo affair; it was more like a semi-formal. Fancy black clothes with white touches would get me by.

"Are you ready to go?" Trowa opened the door to my room slowly, then came inside when he saw I was fully dressed. "We should be going soon."

"Yes, I know." I smiled at him. Trowa was in all black, and he looked _smashing_. I'd chosen the outfit myself, but it took my breath away all over again when he stood in front of me right then. "You look great, Trowa."

He returned my smile, the expression reflecting more in his eyes than it spread on his lips. "Consider the compliment returned. You're beautiful, Quatre."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "Thank you." It was all I could say; Trowa had effectively rendered me speechless with just those three words. _Does he really think I'm beautiful?_ The question didn't need an answer; I knew that he did. It felt… nice.

"We should probably go," Trowa said suddenly, breaking that spell that seemed to have kept us bound in place. I'd been staring into his eyes – I still was, actually, and he was staring right back. "I'm sure we'll have time later on to continue talking."

I don't think talking was the first thing on either of our minds.

Trowa brushed light fingers over my cheek, and I blinked – hadn't realized he was so close. "Come on," he said softly. "Let's get going."

I nodded, not entirely trusting my voice, and followed him out of my dorm room.

"Hey Quatre!" Duo greeted me outside the building. "You're right on time. As usual. All ready for a nice long evening with Miss Dorothy Catalonia?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I can't wa – "

"Catalonia?" Trowa interrupted me. He glanced at Duo.

"Uh… yeah." Duo raised an eyebrow. "What's the problem? Her family declare war on yours or something? I wouldn't be surprised…"

"Do you know her?" I asked, ignoring Duo.

"We've met." I couldn't tell anything from Trowa's face or his voice.

"Hey, loosen up, Chuckles!" Duo slung an arm around Trowa's shoulders. "If you're afraid she might murder you, don't worry. It's a public place; there'll be plenty of witnesses around, so we'll be able to avenge your death."

"Comforting, isn't it?" I smiled at Trowa. "So how do you know Dorothy?"

He shrugged. "The last time I was here, we were introduced. I wonder if she'll remember that when I see her tonight."

From the impression I'd gotten of Dorothy when we met, I had to doubt whether she'd ever forgotten anything in her life. "I think she will."

He smiled briefly in response. "I _hope_ she will."

"Man!" Duo scratched his head. "I feel like I've missed something in this conversation. Mind filling me in on – oh, I don't know – _everything?_"

"Sorry Duo." My smile turned apologetic as I turned to look at my best friend. "I met Dorothy once, and she didn't seem like the type who'd forget anything easily."

"Oh." He looked at Trowa. "So how do you know her?"

"I told you." The taller boy calmly returned that stare. "We were introduced a few years ago."

Duo looked ready to respond to that, but a car horn beeped loudly, and then Hilde pulled up alongside us. The car already had several other people piled in, and I saw the problem even before she voiced it out loud.

"You didn't tell me there'd be three of you, Duo," she accused, leaning out the window to talk to him. "I don't have enough room in the car to take all of you."

"Aw, Hilde, can't you make room?" He tried an appealing smile. "For _me_?"

She rolled her eyes heavenward. "I might for anyone _but_ you."

"Hey!"

"Don't worry about it, Hilde," I cut in. "I just need to know how to get to Dorothy's house. If it's OK with you, I'll take my car and follow along behind you. All right?"

Hilde grinned. "Works for me. Get in the car, Duo."

"You ordering me around?" He got in all the same, then turned to look at Trowa. "I take it you'd prefer to go with Quatre, would you?"

"I'd rather he came with me, too, actually." I smiled. "We'll be right back with the car. Don't leave without us!"

"Don't worry." I could hear the grin in Duo's voice even though I was heading in the opposite direction and couldn't see it. "I don't think any of us are _that_ anxious to go visiting with Dorothy."

"_I_ am," Trowa said, so quietly that I wasn't sure I was meant to hear it.

So I didn't answer.

Dorothy's house was actually only a fifteeen-minute drive from the dorms, but you could see it in ten. The place was _huge_. I had a mansion myself, our family house, and it was a decent size, but the Catalonia house outstripped it by far. I had to wonder what they needed all that space for. Even the grounds surrounding it seemed dwarfed by comparison. It was impressive, but it made me uncomfortable. People who needed to have houses that size generally thought of themselves as being big as well – large in nature, opinion, or importance. It was an awful assumption, but my memory of Dorothy seemed to fit it. She'd had that smug air of superiority about her, like she knew everything about everybody, and considered herself above it all.

"I guess this is the place." I got out of the car, handing the keys to the attendent – valet parking, how appropriate – and waited for Trowa before moving to rejoin Duo and the others.

"Impressive," Trowa commented, gazing impassively at the house.

"I guess it is," I smiled, in reply.

"Geez!" Duo grinned. "Everything in moderation, hmm? You guys need to lighten up." He put an arm around my shoulders. "I thought I was doing OK with _you_, before EZ Laughs here showed up. You gotta learn to _relax_, Quatre!"

I exchanged looks with Trowa and we both smiled.

"This place is _massive_," Duo went on, either not catching the exchange or else totally ignoring it. "Don't ask me how one family can live _here_. That house could fit a small town in it!"

"Some people need more room than others, I guess," I said.

"What, a room for each article of clothing they own?" Duo shook his head.

"As I remember, Dorothy Catalonia was very much impressed with the illusion or reality of immensity," Trowa added. He caught my eyes with his, and I wasn't at all surprised to find that I couldn't read them this time. Trowa was being secretive again.

The Catalonia family had both a butler to answer the door and a footman to lead visitors from the entrance to the large room that had been set up with tables and fancy decorations. Everything was formal, and _very_ upper-class. It was something I could deal with easily, since I had been upper-class myself for a good part of my life. I wondered about Duo and Trowa… but Duo seemed as relaxed and confident as ever. Trowa remained impassive, and in the black clothing akin to shadows, he seemed just like part of the background. It would be easy, I realized, for anyone to overlook him, or just brush aside his presense. And I think that was how he wanted it.

There were quite a few people there already, sitting at some of the beautifully set up tables, chatting politely with those beside them. It was like a wedding feast, but without the place cards, the bride, or the groom. None of the food had been served yet.

"Why don't you find us a place to sit down, Quatre?" Trowa suggested quietly. "I have something I need to take care of." He moved away from my side.

I turned to ask what, but he was already gone, through the people coming in, and disappeared to somewhere behind me. I frowned. _What on earth could he be doing? Trowa…_

"Quatre Winner." I turned back at the voice and found myself faced with a smiling Dorothy Catalonia. "I'm glad you could come tonight," she said. "Would you care to sit beside me during the meal?"

"That's a kind offer, but I'm here with a friend of mine." I offered a polite smile.

"There are plenty of seats at this table, Quatre." She inclined her head to the side slightly. "I made certain that there were more than enough seats for the number of guests I would have over tonight."

"All right then," I agreed, somewhat reluctantly. _What could she want me to sit with her for? We barely even know each other!_

Dorothy led me toward her table, and sat down gracefully, waving a hand to indicate that I should do the same. "It's so hard to observe all the formalities and still enjoy yourself, isn't it?" she asked conversationally. "Sometimes I'm not even sure if it's possible."

"I'm not sure I follow you." I sat down, feeling a bit puzzled.

"Oh, that's all right." She smiled, as if satisfied by something, then leaned over, close to my face. "Welcome to my party, _Seeker_," she purred."

I started, and my breath caught in my throat. _Impossible…_ "You… you know?"

"Naturally, I do." She smiled again, eyes narrowing in that smugly pleased manner. "You didn't think your charming savior was the _only_ one keeping tabs on you, now did you?"

It all seemed to click into place at that point. Why she wanted to invite me… Why Trowa knew her… "You work for them. The other side." My eyes widened as another realization hit me. "And you were the one who had that lightening beast summoned, weren't you?"

" 'The other side'…" She chuckled. "What a charming term. I can see that you're just oozing with wit and brilliance, Quatre Rebarba Winner. Why don't you save yourself some trouble and hand the keys over to me right now?"

"Not a chance."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I think you will eventually. I have ways of – "

"Good evening, Miss Catalonia." Trowa took the seat across from me, giving Dorothy an almost bored look. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Do you still remember me?"

There was an irritated frown forming on her face. "Darksbane."

"I go by Trowa Barton these days," he corrected her. "Unless you're talking in prophecy."

"Your prophecy is meaningless," she muttered, scowling.

"Only if you choose to believe in power rather than people," I spoke up, catching both of my dining companions' attention. I had an inkling of an idea… "You'd be surprised what plain, ordinary people can do when they feel they have to."

"People like yourself?" She raised an eyebrow, snidely.

"Quatre is anything but ordinary." Trowa didn't look at me, carefully keeping his eyes focussed on Dorothy. "If anything, you might consider it a referrence to yourself."

Her eyes flashed angrily. "I, at least, have chosen to fight on my own. You only do this because you _think_ you'll have to." There was disgust in her voice.

"That's why you're ordinary, Dorothy," I told her. "There are so many people who fight for the sake of fighting. Because they feel fulfilled or satisfied if they can outwardly express the agression they feel inside them. That's why true peace can be so fragile."

"You're wrong!" She looked furious. "There are too many like yourself, bleeding hearts who can't bear to see people suffer! Sacrifice is necessary for the greater good!"

"If I were part of a majority," I replied, "then there would not be the kind of battles that we may soon be involved in."

"There will _always_ be battles!" she spat, angrily. There was a dangerous light in her eyes. "Humans are territorial creatures. No peace will last forever."

"But there _are_ those who are strong enough to seek out a world that may have some measure of peace," I countered. "Those strong enough to hope."

"Hope is weakness!" she snapped. "And those who hope are weak!"

"That's not true." I was keeping myself calm, even as Dorothy seemed to become more and more agitated. "It's simple to give up on hope and strive to gain power over others. Those who can keep their dreams and who do not purposefully start battles to prove their disillusioned views have to be strong in order to do so."

"I am… _not_… _weak!_" The last word was a shriek, as Dorothy finally lost her head and stood violently, knocking the table to the floor with a loud clatter. "That's what you were saying, that I'm weak and you're strong! Well, prove it, Seeker! Prove it!"

The entire room had gone silent, all heads turned toward us. Trowa had leapt to his feet as the table overturned and Dorothy stood beside me, harsh breathing loud and almost seeming to echo in that intense silence. I was still sitting, and both of them had their eyes fixed on me, waiting for my next move.

Something caught me eye as I stood, and I bent, unsurprised, to claim it. I heard Dorothy's sharp intake of breath as I rose with the Silver key in my hand, but I didn't smile. "Thank you for your help, Dorothy," I said softly. "I think that Trowa and I had better be going now."

I detoured around the spilled table and made my way across the room, pretending that I didn't notice the amazed stares in my direction. Duo's mouth was hanging open, making him look something like a gaping fish. Trowa followed behind me, silently, and I could feel his pride in me even from that distance.

And all the way to the door, I could feel Dorothy's gaze on me – hatred, anger, and dark plans for revenge.

~~~~~~

"You were brilliant."

I smiled up at Trowa, turning the key in the lock of my dorm room and opening the door. "I just had a feeling about it. I've noticed that most of the time with these keys, I should trust any kind of feelings I get."

"That's a good idea. You have good instincts, Quatre." Trowa shut the door behind us and pulled off the jacket part of his outfit. I moved toward my room so that I could do the same.

"Are you checking the note?" He followed me into the room as I carefully folded the article of clothing and placed it on a chair. "Why don't you let me have a look?" He shut the door again.

"Sure." I started to move back to where I'd last left it, on the drawers lining the wall between my room and the rest of the dorm. But Trowa had been following me too closely; I crashed right into him when I went to turn around. "Oh, sorry." I stepped back. "I guess I'm tired. I…" My breath caught.

Trowa smiled and brushed my cheek with gentle fingers. "It's all right," he told me softly. "My fault." His hand moved to cup my chin and he pulled my face close for a kiss.

I felt like I was spiraling upward as Trowa gently pulled me closer, arms secure around my waist. His lips were so soft against mine… It was different from before – the place and the mood were different. He seemed to express an intensity that made my head start to spin and my knees go weak. I was already exhausted from the loss of that rush when I'd been verbally fencing with Dorothy, and Trowa's closeness banished any hope of independent thought. I could only moan softly as his lips trailed a path down my jawline, over my neck. It felt so good…

"Trowa…" I breathed, eyes fluttering shut as he attacked the soft spot just behind my ear. He'd planned this, too, I realized, in the tiny part of my mind that still functioned. Following me into my room and closing the door, standing so close… _He wants me… He really does._ I raised my arms up to pull him closer, bringing his mouth back up to mine and returning his kisses with as much passion as I could manage, tired as I was. _I want you too,_ I tried to let that say. _I want you… Trowa…_

__

I think I love you.

Trowa pulled me even tighter against him, kissing me insistently, and I felt myself falling back…

~~~~~~

End Part Seven

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	9. Amber

****

Keeper of the Keys

Amber

I could barely feel the sun filtering in through my window. It was just faintly warm, not that I needed it. My barely-awake brain could only register warmth and contentment. I was sleepy and comfortable, and whatever was keeping me so warm also made me incredibly happy. I started to snuggle back under the covers, then stopped, frowning. _Why am I still in my good clothes?_

Wakefulness hit me fully and I groaned. _Damn. No chance of going back to sleep now._ I tried to shift and sit up, but something held me down, firmly.

__

Trowa! I blinked, remembering the previous night. We'd been kissing, almost like the beginning of a "make-out fest" as Duo called it. But… I was still dressed. We hadn't done anything. So what…?

I fixed my gaze on the taller boy, whose arms were firmly locked around me. He looked peaceful, happy… Unconsciously, it seemed, he'd snuggled in close to me. My heart skipped a beat. _Oh, Trowa… You…_ Could he feel it, the same way I did? We were connected… he had to know that.

And I loved him…

"I love you, Trowa," I whispered, kissing his forehead softly and then sighing. It felt good to finally get that out – I may have just realized it moments before, but some part of me had known, even before…

Could it really be this easy?

Looking down at Trowa's sleeping form, I answered that myself. Yes. It could. And it wouldn't be so simple, no matter how it felt, or how fast this had turned into something so right that I wanted it to last forever. We had a war to fight, and enemies to deal with… If we wanted a life together – and I know _I_ did – then we'd have to work for it. With each other as much as with outside forces.

And I was more than willing to do just that.

"Mmm…" Trowa shifted against me a bit, and his eyes slid open slowly. I held my breath for a moment, waiting for the memories to come to light in those mysterious green orbs. Then his mouth relaxed in a smile.

"Good morning."

I let out the breath I'd been holding. "You don't mind? Where you are, I mean."

He looked amused. "It was my idea."

"I know, but I thought you might regret it." I laughed sheepishly. "I guess that was kind of silly, wasn't it?"

"It was." He leaned forward and kissed my lips softly, making me feel warm all through, and then trailed a line of those soft kisses down over my jawline. A strange little pleased noise escaped my throat, and I tilted my head to give him access to me.

"Trowa?" I felt his lips brush against my throat, and shivered. "What exactly happened last night?"

"You fell asleep."

"Oh." _Figures._ I smiled. "I'm sorry. But… maybe it was for the best. I mean, I really don't want to rush into this…"

He pulled back slightly and gazed at me. I felt another surge of warmth rush through me at the look in his eyes – pure, beautiful affection, and all for me. "Are you a virgin?"

The abruptness of the question caught me off-guard, and I blushed. "Yeah," I said awkwardly, feeling suddenly embarrassed by the fact. _Great. Another thing to add to the "pure, pale, helpless" cliché. Why couldn't I ever have…?_

"Then waiting is a good idea." He brushed my cheek with gentle fingers. "Make sure you have a clear idea of what it is you want." Abruptly, Trowa pulled away from me, moving to get out of bed. "We should get ready. And you should check that note."

"All right." I sat up, feeling cold without Trowa's arms around me. I glanced over at him, and the question just sort of blurted itself out. "Are you, Trowa?"

He stopped. "Am I what?"

I was blushing horribly, and wished I could stop it. "A virgin. Are you?"

He gazed at me for a moment, long enough to make me feel embarrassed for having asked, then moved to the door again. "Yes," he said simply, and left the room, leaving me to stare after him in complete bafflement.

~~~~~~

"That doesn't make sense."

Trowa glanced up from the note paper. "Most of them didn't."

"No, but this one really doesn't! I don't get it, Trowa!" I dropped the note back onto my dresser so that the words 'Amber already holds your soul' were facing the smooth wood surface. "How can it hold my soul if I don't have it yet?"

He watched me for a moment, and I thought I caught a hint of something new in his eyes – sympathy. _That's idiotic. Why would I need sympathy?_ "Maybe we should take a walk – just to clear your head," he suggested.

"All right." I felt bemused for a minute – then irrationally agitated. "There's no way that could be right," I continued, more to myself than to Trowa, as we made our way across my dorm room. "There's just no way."

He glanced to the side, at… At nothing. But he didn't answer me.

"There isn't," I repeated softly, and still I got no response.

I decided at that point that it was time for a subject change. "Where did you go last night?"

He glanced up at me. "Hmm?"

"You know, at the dinner party. Just before Dorothy showed up, you said that there was something you needed to take care of, remember?" I half turned to face him. "What was it?"

"I needed to break her contact with _their_ world." He twisted the door handle and moved out. "She won't be able to send any more of _their_ creatures after us."

"So we're safe?"

"Nobody is safe. Not until this war is over." He looked away.

"What are you going to do?" I asked him, shutting the door behind us and locking it. "When this is all over, are you going to go back to that spirit world?"

"I don't know."

__

Don't, I wanted to say to him. _Don't go back there, Trowa._ I had a nasty feeling it would kill me to follow him there. "Oh," was all I actually said. At some point, I was going to have to ask him again.

"I have to choose," he said.

I pushed open the door leading out of the building. "What do you mean?"

"It's in the prophecy."

"Whether or not you stay here or go there is in the prophecy?" I turned off down the path I'd taken the previous morning, toward Richland Falls.

Trowa stayed beside me, close enough so that we were almost touching. "I can't make that decision too soon," he told me. "It'll happen when it's supposed to. What I choose determines whether or not I'll be happy where I am."

__

And whether or not I'll_ be happy where I am,_ I thought to myself, glancing briefly up at him. He was watching me already, a half smile on his face, fondness in his eyes. That immediately made me feel better, and I smiled back. "I hope you do make the right choice. You deserve to be happy."

He brushed his fingers against my shoulder softly, then slid an arm around them both, comfortably. It felt like we'd been together for a lot longer than a day. "I'd sooner see you happy," he answered, softly. "That's more important."

I smiled in return. _Then here's hoping we both have the same goal in mind._

~~~~~~

"Are you ready yet?"

I glanced up, startled, from unlocking my door. "What?" My mind flew back over the conversations we'd had that morning, but nothing matched.

Trowa shrugged. "To take your Amber key."

I tore my eyes from his, blinking rapidly. "I… I don't know where to find it," I answered, so softly it was almost a whisper. For some reason, the words were hard to get out.

Trowa didn't answer, but watched me silently. He knew something I didn't, and I knew he thought _I_ should know it too. Perhaps I did, but it didn't seem like it.

That agitation was back, knawing at me.

Maybe it was something to distract me, and maybe it was something to distract _him_. Maybe I was just desperate to feel something other than that uneasy sense of foreboding. Whatever it was, as soon as the door was closed, I threw myself at Trowa, arms closing around him so he couldn't escape, crushing his lips with mine.

I felt the warmth of his body against mine, felt him relax and hold me, but it wasn't the same as before. I kissed him desperately, again and again. "Trowa… Trowa… Trowa…" I murmured his name like a chant between frantic kisses. He pulled me closer, body tensing with controlled excitement, and I felt a brief surge of triumph. He enjoyed it; he was supposed to.

He broke away, breathing heavily, leaning his forehead against mine. "This won't change things." His normally calm voice was breathless; his hands slid almost possessively over my back. "It won't go away."

I ignored him, leaning forward for another kiss, which he returned. "Can we move to the couch?" I whispered, kissing him again, softly, then progressively gaining more passion. We fell more than lowered ourselves down onto the couch, tongues battling, hands exploring each other actively.

Trowa didn't say anything more to me; he was response and eager to reciprocate any and all intimacies, but I could feel his reproval, still. _You're stalling,_ he seemed to be saying. _You know what to do, you just don't want to._ I kissed him harder, trying to get rid of that feeling, but it wouldn't leave me alone.

I didn't want it this way anyway.

Breaking the kiss as gently as I could manage, I turned my face from Trowa's, feeling completely and utterly wretched. "I'm sorry," I whispered, with as much sincerity as I felt able to put into the words. "This isn't how I want it to be."

Trowa touched my cheek gently, and I realized with something akin to shock that I'd been crying. "I hadn't meant to make you upset," he answered quietly. "I'm sure you'll get the key when you're ready. I won't bother you about it."

I turned my face so it was buried into the place where his neck and shoulder met, but I didn't cry this time. "I'll find it," I promised, voice muffled. "I will. But…"

"We have time." He brushed a hand through my hair, running the other soothingly over my arm and shoulder. "We have all the time in the world."

"Thank you." I pulled away slightly, and managed a shaky laugh. "Do you want some breakfast? We sort of forgot about that, didn't we?"

"I'll make it." As though he hadn't made breakfast every morning since he got there.

"All right." I moved away from him so he could get up off the couch, and Trowa immediately walked into the kitchen, getting out what he'd need without hesitation. Since the first time, he hadn't needed to be reminded where I kept everything. It made me smile, watching him. _Trowa has a fantastic memory. If we do end up together, I'd better watch what I do; he'll probably remember it two years later if I ever once forget to turn off the bathroom light._ It was a pleasant distraction, thinking about him…

My gaze drifted away from Trowa, and the smile faded.

__

You know.

I couldn't…

__

You know.

It wasn't possible.

__

You KNOW.

"No!" I sat up fully, trembling.

"Quatre?" Trowa had stopped what he was doing; he was gazing at me from the small space I used for a kitchen, eyes reflecting concern.

"I'm all right." I tried a smile for him, hoping to keep any worries from forming. "I… don't know what came over me. Sorry, Trowa."

He smiled briefly, eyes warm, then turned back to what he was doing.

__

I've stalled this long enough. With a sigh, I pushed myself off the couch and moved toward the small glass case at the edge of my dorn room. _I need to… to do this. I need to be strong._

My knees felt weak. I sank down beside the case. _It has to happen. It's for the best…_

"You all right, Quatre?"

"Fine, Trowa." My voice shook. He knew what I was doing. But I had a feeling he wouldn't interfere… Not unless I needed him. I was grateful for that.

Opening the glass door, I drew out my prize.

~~~~~~

__

"Can we play ring-toss, Dad?"

"Ask your mother."

"Mom? Can we play?"

A smile. Warmth. "I don't see why not."

Strong arms. The feeling of being carried. "All right then, son. I'll hold you up… and you can throw them."

"Thanks Dad!"

A blur of effort, throwing. Laughter. Triumph. Fun.

Happiness…

Love…

And one prize to hold those memories locked away.

~~~~~~

With a small wordless cry, I threw the cheap carnival prize against the floor, watching with something almost like detatchment as it landed with a satisfying smash.

It hadn't taken much to shatter it.

Amid the broken pieces of red-gold material was that glittering, perfect key shape – still whole, as I'd known it would be, finally freed from the confinement of the other objects. I made no move to take it.

My shoulders started to shake as I sobbed, and Trowa finally came in from the kitchen, wrapping his arms around me and letting me cry onto his shoulder.

~~~~~~

End Part Eight

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	10. The Passage

****

Keeper of the Keys

The Passage

"Let's go now."

Trowa squeezed my shoulder slightly. "Today? Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait until tomorrow?"

"No…" I sighed. "We've waited all morning. That's long enough. I know that if I continue to put off going, I'll get to the point where I _can't_ leave."

He brushed his hand over mind where I still clutched the Amber key I'd uncovered that morning. My fingers were cold; his were warm. I hadn't let go of the key since I'd picked it up. "Are you sure there isn't anything you want to take with you?" he asked.

I glanced toward my music room, then looked up at him with a rueful smile. "Nothing that wouldn't get in the way."

"All right." He stood. "Can you put all the keys in a pocket of some kind? You'll need to be able to get at them easily, but you can't have them in a place where they might be lost somehow."

"I'll find something." I got up with a sigh and moved toward my room. "Is there anything else _you're_ going to need?"

"Some of your food, maybe." He was already looking through the kitchen. "It's good to have extra rations when you're traveling. And I'd hate to waste this if you don't come back for it soon."

"That makes sense." I found the back-pack I'd used for school and put in an extra set of clothing – just in case. There would probably be clothing to fit me in Trowa's homeland as well, but it was better not to take chances. The keys went into a side pocket. If I needed them, I could slide the bag off and reach inside it to grab one.

My fingers still felt cold when I put the Amber key in with the rest.

"Quatre?" Trowa interrupted my thoughts. He was standing in the doorway of my room. "There's someone knocking on your door. And if you're ready, we can go whenever you want."

I slid my arms through the straps of my back-pack. "All right."

It was Duo who was at the door, not surprisingly. He didn't even bother with a greeting. "What the hell happened last night?"

I smiled. After being Duo's best friend for the past few years, I'd learned what to expect from him – for the most part. "Do you mean before or after she dropped the table on the floor?"

"Both." He firmly braced a hand against the door frame. "Jesus, Quatre, what the hell is going on with you? Ever since you got that weird note, you've been acting really funny. What's the deal?"

"It's hard to explain," I began awkwardly, but he was on a roll and talked right over me.

"And another thing…" He gave me a look that was even a touch hurt. "I understand you don't want me prying into your sex life and all. But you never even really introduced me to the guy! Am I your best friend or what? I'd introduce _you_ if _I_ was sleeping with someone on a regular basis!"

"We're not sleeping together," I said hastily.

"We slept together last night," Trowa corrected unexpectedly, moving to stand beside me.

My face went red and Duo let out a cackle, momentarily forgetting his annoyance with me. "O-_ho!_ The truth comes out!"

"That wasn't the same kind of sleeping together!" I protested, turning slightly to face Trowa. There was the barest hint of a smile on his face; he was _teasing_ me! "It's not the same!"

"And how many kinds of sleeping together are there?" Duo asked teasingly. "Don't tell me you've been researching this." He grinned. "Through experimentation, am I right?"

"That's usually the best way," Trowa said with an absolutely straight face.

"Stop it, both of you!" Still, I couldn't help laughing, which was a complete and total relief. Duo joined right in with me, and even Trowa was chuckling. "You're both out to get me, I know it!"

"You're just so easy to pick on." Duo slung an arm around my shoulders, then stopped as he noticed my pack. "You guys going on a trip?"

I risked a glance at Trowa, who had clammed up again. "Yeah," I answered. Well, we _were_… "Just for a little while."

He raised an eyebrow. "Where to?"

I floundered for an answer, blurting out the first thing that came to my mind. "Camping."

Duo shook his head. "You know, you're a really bad liar, Quatre."

"We're visiting my home," Trowa said calmly.

"Yeah? Well, why didn't you say so then?"

"Because we didn't."

I looked from Duo to Trowa and back again. My best friend obviously wanted to respond to that, but Trowa had effectively robbed him of ammunition. And the excuse he'd given Duo had been complete truth, too. I almost felt like laughing again.

"Let's go, Quatre," the green-eyed boy said simply.

"All right then. I'll see you later, Duo." I moved past my best friend, with Trowa following along behind.

"If you think that's the end of _that_, you're crazy," Duo muttered. I pretended I hadn't heard him.

"Will it matter if he tells anyone?" I asked, digging into my pocket for my car keys. "I mean, will there be a lot of trouble if Dorothy or one of her friends finds out where we've gone?"

Trowa shrugged. "They know where we'll be going. It won't be anything new for them to find out." He opened the car door after I'd unlocked it and got in.

I slid into my seat and fit the key into the ignition, then turned to face him. "All right, where are we going?"

"The place where you first met me. That's where the passage is."

"OK." I moved to start the car, but stopped when I felt Trowa's hand on my arm. "Trowa…? What is it?"

"Wait." He looked directly into my eyes. I felt paralyzed for a moment – were we back to where we'd begun? That gaze was so intense, searching… But it had changed since that first time. He was studying me softly, with less wariness, like he was trying to memorize what I looked like. Should I…?

I leaned forward, feeling bold, and touched my lips to Trowa's. It was feather-light, contrasting the desperate way I'd been kissing him before. But I liked this way a lot better. I had a better sense of his closeness – the warmth of his face near mine, his hand squeezing my shoulder lightly… It was almost like I could feel the life in him. I pulled back and smiled, blushing slightly.

Trowa's eyes were smiling back at me. "What was that for?"

I shrugged, feeling the blush start to fade. "I just wanted to kiss you. Is that OK?"

"Always." He tweaked my nose. "We can go now."

I turned back to face forward and started the car. "Why did you want me to stop?"

"I'll explain later."

"Oh." I decided not to ask. Anyway, Trowa knew what he was doing. Whatever the reason for that brief delay, I was sure it was a good one. "Well, let's go then."

It was going to be dark out when I made the climb that time, so I parked the car at the top of Torian Peak rather than at the foot of the cliff face like I'd done before. The climb down was more dangerous, but it was definitely quicker – and since it was early afternoon and the sun was out, we could make it with few to no problems. Also, it would be better to leave the car up there than at the bottom.

"Well…" I turned to Trowa with a smile. "Shall we go?"

"Hold on a moment, Quatre."

I looked up at him curiously. "What for?"

"Just wait."

A loud 'thump' came from the rear of my car, making me start. "What the – ?" I was interrupted by another thumping noise and some muffled swearing. Spinning to face Trowa, I found him watching calmly. "What's going on?"

"Quatre…?"

That wasn't Trowa. I turned back to the car, slowly. _Oh lord… Don't tell me…_

"Quatre? Come on, I know you're there! Lemme outta here!"

I whirled back toward Trowa, this time with an accusing look on my face. "What's he doing here? Is this why you told me to wait?"

"Qua-a-a-a-tre!" Some more thumping noises. I ignored them, glaring at Trowa.

"He wanted to come."

"So we're just going to let him tag along!? It could be dangerous!"

Trowa shrugged. "He can make his own decisions. If he wants to join us, who are we to stop him from doing so?"

"He could get _killed_, Trowa!"

"So could we."

Silence. I stared hard at Trowa, who fixed me with one of his trademark impassive gazes. A tentative voice broke through that quiet moment. "Um… Quatre?"

"Quiet, Duo!" I snapped, dismissing him to focuss on the tall boy in front of me. "You knew he was getting in that trunk, didn't you? That's why you asked me to wait!"

"True."

"_Why_, Trowa? He's not part of this! Why get him involved?"

"Why not ask him if he'd _like_ to be invovled?"

"But – "

"Excuse me." Duo's voice had an edge to it that I recognized immediately. "But if you guys don't mind, would you be so kind as to _get me the hell outta here!?_"

I gave up at that point.

"Fine!" Almost jamming the key in the lock, I opened the trunk and freed my best friend from his confinement. "There, happy now?" I felt horribly grouchy about the entire set-up.

"Much better." He hopped out, stretched, then turned to face me with an expression I'd seen many times in the past. "Before you ask, yes I'm coming, no I don't care about the danger, and you're _not_ leaving me outta this, even if you chain me to a tree! I'll take the damn tree along with me if I have to, but there's no way I'm staying behind while you go off to who knows where to do who knows what!"

I sighed. "Duo, you don't even know what you're getting into."

"Right. And I don't really give a dman." He shrugged, but his eyes were deadly serious despite the light gesture. "No buts, Quatre. If you're going, I'm coming with you."

"Glad that's settled," Trowa said calmly. "Now let's get going."

I gave one last, defeated sigh then let it pass. "Shouldn't I tell him about what we're doing? It's going to take a while to explain…"

"Don't bother." Trowa started the climb down, moving quickly enough to make it look a lot easier than it really was. "Demonstrate first. It makes things easier."

I started after him at a considerably slower pace. "Does it?"

"It worked with you."

"But that was because…" I trailed off, not certain how I could accurately put into words the feeling of trust I'd gotten from looking into Trowa's eyes. "I guess you're right," I conceded instead. Duo would've laughed if I'd voiced that out loud anyway.

Trowa waited patiently for first me, and then Duo, to reach the cave. "We might as well get started," he said, when we'd both made it. "You'll need theGold key."

"Right." I reached into my bag.

Duo had been acting uncharacteristically passive, but he shrugged it off at that point. "So what are we doing here? Opening up a cave to Never-Never Land?"

"Close." I brought up the key Trowa had mentioned, and raised it without needing encouragement first. The feeling of power was building around it like before; that feeling of denseness around the key that encased it like a lock would. I concentrated on the rock face I'd seen Trowa walk through before.

And turned it.

"Holy shit!"

Duo's astonished shout was nearly lost in the sudden rushing wind that poured into the small cave. The previously solid face had become a dark passage – the same passage I'd seen Trowa pass through when he'd first stepped into my life.

"Good," Trowa commented approvingly, as I put the Gold key away again. "Now let's get going."

Duo's eyes were wide and he was staring at the newly formed tunnel in open-mouthed shock. "Wha… but… that…"

"Uh… I think I've got some explaining to do first, Trowa," I said.

He shrugged. "It's a long walk."

I looked back at Duo, who was regarding me as if I'd grown an extra head. "You'd better _start_ explaining!" he almost yelped. "And make it good and long! _How_ did you just do that, _what_ did you just do, and what else have you been hiding from me!?"

I sighed and started after my green-eyed love. _Trowa was right. It's going to be a long walk._

~~~~~~

End Part Nine

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	11. Epilogue

****

Keeper of the Keys

Epilogue

"How long has it been?"

Heero didn't even hesitate. "Two minutes, 34 seconds."

Wufei grunted. "He's late again."

"He didn't specify a time when he'd return."

The dark-haired warrior shrugged. "He said he'd return before two minutes of our time had passed. He was more than a minute off."

"We're in no danger." Heero glanced at the surrounding wilderness briefly. "If they want their Sacrifice, they'll have to fight. And Trowa should be back before any of _them_ can get to us."

"You're so careless with your own life." Wufei met the brown-haired soldier's gaze, eyes almost cold. "It means more to the world than it does to just you. And what would happen to your Queen if you were to die?"

Heero frowned. "She can do without me."

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm aware of that."

Silence. Wufei glanced at the cave beside them as if he was bored and looking for something new to concentrate on. The shadows from the trees seemed to lengthen as he watched.

"He's coming."

"So I see." Heero stood slowly and faced the cave. "They're not alone."

"What?" Wufei looked again. Three shadows were starting to gain shape, moving toward them. "What is this, a guided tour? We don't accept sight-seers!"

"Calm down." Heero's eyes shifted from Wufei to the cave and back again. "Whatever the reason, you can be sure that Trowa wouldn't bring anyone into this who might become a liability."

"Hmm." Wufei frowned slightly. "I hope you're right."

Both turned to watch as the shadowy figures stepped out of the passage and into the faint, early evening light…

~~~~~~

The End

(to be continued in _Bane of Darkness_)

How was it? Review please!!!!!


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